“To screen for colon and rectal cancers, most people have colonoscopies, which can feel invasive and require anesthesia, or they may take an at-home stool test, which can be more convenient but also awkward — and not appealing for the squeamish.

But a simple blood test could soon become more broadly available.

Palo Alto, California-based biotechnology company Guardant Health has applied for US Food and Drug Administration approval of Shield, its blood test to screen for early signs of colorectal cancer, and on Thursday, a panel of expert advisers to the FDA gathered to discuss data on the screening test.

The FDA’s Molecular and Clinical Genetics Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee met to discuss the benefits and risks of the test and vote on whether it’s safe and effective.

The panel voted 8-1 that the Shield test is safe for use in people who meet the criteria for testing, 6-3 that the test is effective for use in those meeting the criteria and 7-2 that the benefits of the test outweigh the risks.”

From CNN.