Guardant Health, Inc. announced its Shield blood test for colorectal cancer screening (CRC) is now covered for active-duty service members and their families through TRICARE, the U.S. military's health insurance coverage, with no copay for average-risk individuals ages 45 and older. Shield is the first and only blood test approved by the FDA as a primary screening option for CRC, offering U.S. military troops a more pleasant and convenient option for screening by overcoming barriers associated with other screening methods. According to the Department of Defense, there are approximately 1.3 million active-duty service members.
Those above the age of 45 - along with their families of screening-eligible age - will now have access to Shield, the latest innovation in CRC screening. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S., with a 91% five-year survival rate if caught early. Shield is covered by Medicare and the Veterans Affairs Community Care Network, and is commercially available across the U.S. about Shield is a non-invasive, blood-based screening test that detects alterations associated with colorectal cancer in the blood.
It is intended as a screening test for individuals at average risk for the disease, age 45 or older, and is not intended for individuals at high risk for colorectal cancer. The Shield test can be considered in a manner similar to guideline-recommended non-invasive CRC screening options and can be completed during any healthcare visit. A positive Shield result raises concern for the presence of colorectal cancer or advanced adenoma and the patient should be referred for colonoscopy evaluation.
