Reflecting on Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

As we close Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, I am reminded of the early days of our journey to develop a blood test to screen for colorectal cancer. 

When we began this journey, no one had imagined an FDA-approved, guideline recommended, reimbursable blood test for cancer screening. Many said it was impossible. Yet, over the last 10 years, we continued to build, test, fail, iterate, and build again. We persevered —and launched Shield^™— because we felt so inspired by the potential for this blood test to save lives. 

Early Detection Can Save Lives, Yet Nearly 1 in 3 Eligible Americans Remain Unscreened

With colorectal cancer, early detection matters. When caught early, it has a 91% five-year survival rate.¹ By contrast, survival falls to 15% once the disease has spread.² Yet despite the benefits of early detection, nearly 1 in 3 eligible Americans remain unscreened for CRC.³  

We have also seen a troubling rise in the incidence of colorectal cancer among younger people. Even as overall cancer deaths have fallen for people under 50 years old, colorectal cancer has moved in the opposite direction among this age demographic, rising 1.1% annually since 2005. It is now the leading cause of cancer death in this age group.⁴ 

These trends fueled our motivation to develop an easy, best-in-blood test, so that more people could benefit from earlier detection, when it is most treatable. 

Blood-Based Screening Offers an Additional Path for Early Detection

In 2024, the FDA approved Shield, making it the first FDA-approved blood-based test for primary colorectal cancer screening. Since its launch, providers and patients have embraced the test, with broad clinical utilization across large health systems and small, rural practices. It is approved for average-risk adults 45 and over, offering an easy screening option for millions of people. 

To give one example: In rural Appalachia, where colorectal cancer incidence and mortality are among the highest in the U.S., screening adherence reached 98.5% when Shield was offered as an additional screening option. Overall screening rates more than doubled (45% to 90%), additional proof in the value of easy blood tests as a screening option.⁵ 

Motivated by the impact of Shield to-date, we are continuing to invest in our technology, grow our teams, and deepen our partnerships so that we can bring Shield to even more people, families, and communities around the world.

Bringing Brighter Days to More People

I am proud of our teams, and proud of our pioneering role in blood-based colorectal cancer screening and early detection. This month alone, from our educational Shield Across America Bus Tour to engaging “Two-Week Challenges,” Guardant® teams have partnered with thousands of people, including providers, to elevate the importance of screening and do our part to close the CRC screening gap.

Although today marks the end of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, it is really the beginning. The early chapters of a future where early detection prevents disease, so we can take better care of each other and guard our wellness. 

And while we have made progress, there are still patients who do not have equitable access to screening tests. Patients who face barriers to colorectal cancer screening. Patients whose cancers our tests cannot detect yet.

This screening gap drives our work and our vision for the future. A future of brighter days ahead for more people.