What is the screening recall (sensitivity) of the Shield blood test for detecting stage I colorectal cancer and advanced adenomas?

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Shield Blood Test Screening Recall Performance

I cannot provide specific screening recall (sensitivity) data for the Shield blood test, as none of the provided evidence discusses this particular test.

What the Evidence Shows About Blood-Based CRC Screening

The only FDA-approved blood-based colorectal cancer screening test mentioned in the guidelines is the Septin 9 test (Epi proColon), not Shield. 1

Septin 9 Blood Test Performance

  • The Septin 9 test is indicated only for patients who have declined first-line screening tests like FIT or colonoscopy 1
  • A positive Epi proColon result still requires diagnostic colonoscopy for confirmation 1
  • The guidelines do not provide specific sensitivity data for stage I cancer or advanced adenomas for this test 1

Context: Performance of Established Screening Tests

For comparison, established colorectal cancer screening tests have the following characteristics:

FIT (Fecal Immunochemical Test)

  • Sensitivity for colorectal cancer: 73-88% 2
  • Sensitivity for advanced adenomas: 25-40% 1
  • Specificity: 90-96% 2

Stool DNA-FIT (Cologuard)

  • Sensitivity for cancer: 92.3% 2
  • Specificity: 86.6% 2
  • Higher cancer detection than FIT alone but lower specificity 2

High-Sensitivity gFOBT (Hemoccult SENSA)

  • Sensitivity for cancer: 64.3% 1
  • Sensitivity for advanced adenomas: 41.3% 1
  • Specificity: 86.7-87.5% 1

Important Considerations

Blood-based tests are generally positioned as alternatives for patients who refuse standard screening, not as first-line options. 1 The American Cancer Society and US Multi-Society Task Force emphasize that screening tests must detect the majority of prevalent cancers, and colonoscopy remains the gold standard for both detection and prevention through polyp removal. 3, 2

If you are seeking information about the Shield test specifically, you would need to consult the manufacturer's data or FDA approval documentation, as this test is not addressed in current major guidelines. The evidence provided focuses on established screening modalities with proven mortality reduction.

References

Guideline

Guideline Directed Topic Overview

Dr.Oracle Medical Advisory Board & Editors, 2025

Guideline

Colorectal Cancer Screening Guidelines

Praxis Medical Insights: Practical Summaries of Clinical Guidelines, 2025

Guideline

Multi-Cancer Early Detection Tests: Current Status and Clinical Utility

Praxis Medical Insights: Practical Summaries of Clinical Guidelines, 2025

Professional Medical Disclaimer

This information is intended for healthcare professionals. Any medical decision-making should rely on clinical judgment and independently verified information. The content provided herein does not replace professional discretion and should be considered supplementary to established clinical guidelines. Healthcare providers should verify all information against primary literature and current practice standards before application in patient care. Dr.Oracle assumes no liability for clinical decisions based on this content.

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