"A new consumerfriendly test for colon cancer https once approved could persuade more Americans to undergo screening for the deadly cancer https according to researchers presenting their findings on the tests effectiveness at a cancer https conference in Philadelphia. At the same meeting other researchers reported that they have new clues about how DNA characteristics can help predict colon cancer risk. The research was presented at the American Association for Cancer https Researchs special conference Colorectal Cancer https Biology to Therapy. Screening for Colon Cancer Back Story One in every  of us will have colon cancer in our lifetime says David Ahlquist MD professor of medicine and a consultant in gastroenterology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minn. who presented his findings on the new colon cancer screening test. Although colon https cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for men and women in the U.S. many adults dont undergo the screenings once they reach age  or earlier for those with a family history Ahlquist told a news conference. Estimates of how many adults undergo screening vary but Ahlquist says probably only  adhere to the screening schedule over time. One screening test the colonoscopy https in which a flexible lighted tube with a video camera is inserted to examine the colon requires dietary restriction and preparation of the colon. Patients must often take time off work and need transportation home from the procedure. Catching Colon Cancer The New Test The new test a nextgeneration stool test known as a DNA methylation test detects tumorspecific alterations or methylations in the DNA in the cells shed into the stool from cancerous or precancerous lesions. The test can be done at home without dietary restrictions or bowel preparation. At the meeting Ahlquist presented the results of the first clinical evaluation study which enrolled  patients.We were pleased by the results of this first clinical study he says. The test found  of precancerous tumors that were bigger than a centimeter less than a half inch and found  of cancers. Ahlquist called the  figure very high and adds It would be very hard to find a noninvasive approach that could get that range. The test also found tumors on both sides of the colon Ahlquist says a feat that is not always accomplished by colonoscopy https These results were encouraging he says. The detection rate was  for cancers in stages I through III considered the most curable and  percent for stage IV the most advanced. The test is better at detecting cancer in early stages he says because the cells can become less methylated in later stages. The focus of the test is to catch cancers early he says. We are targeting earlystage cancers and thats where the test does the best. The median age of the patients was  half were older half younger. Positive test results would be followed up with colonoscopy. A clinical trial https of the new stool test is expected to start in  he says and if all goes well the test could be available soon after that. Ahlquist and Mayo Clinic are working in collaboration with Exact Sciences Corp. of Madison Wis. to develop the test. DNA Clues to Colon Cancer In other research Lisa Boardman MD an associate professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic wanted to find out if people who develop colon cancer at a younger age than usual are biologically older. The median age of colon cancer diagnosis is  according to the National Cancer Institute. To determine biological age Boardmans team focused on telomeres  small strips of DNA that cover the end of chromosomes. Theyre similar to the protective cap on shoelaces Boardman says. Telomeres are a biologic time clock. As we age our telomeres will become shorter. She took DNA from the blood https of  patients diagnosed with colon cancer all under  when diagnosed. She compared the groups telomere lengths to those of  agematched healthy patients. She didnt find what she expected We found that longer telomere length was associated with colorectal cancer in people under age . But in those over age  those with the longest telomeres had the lowest chance of developing colorectal cancer she found. The implications she says may be that there are different types of colorectal cancer https in younger patients this in turn may drive different and more effective treatments. Colon Cancer Advances Perspectives Both findings are interesting says Anil Rustgi MD the T. Grier Miller professor of medicine and chief of gastroenterology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and a program chairman for the conference. He cautions that both the findings about telomeres and the results of the stool test study are in early stages. But both areas fill a need he tells WebMD. Very broadly speaking there is a need to develop biomarkers whether blood https based or stool based or both in order to identify patients who might be at increased risk for colon cancer. The detection rates for the new test appear promising but this was a very preliminary study that utilized samples from individuals who were known to have colon polyps https or cancer says Durado D. Brooks MD director of prostate https and colorectal cancers for the American Cancer Society who reviewed the findings. The performance may decrease considerably when the test is used in a large population of healthy individuals where only a small number of polyps or cancers may be present. This study was presented at a medical conference. The findings should be considered preliminary as they have not yet undergone the peer review process in which outside experts scrutinize the data prior to publication in a medical journal."