Help Make Life-Saving Colon Cancer Screening Available to Everyone

Each year, more than 50,000 people in the U.S. lose their lives or that of a loved one to colorectal cancer – many unnecessarily. Newer, more accessible screening options – including simple FDA-approved blood tests – could help detect cancer earlier and save lives. The science exists; the innovation is here. What’s missing is updated screening guidelines so insurers can cover these tests and make them available to everyone who is eligible and of screening age.

Join others in calling for change. Send a letter today urging the American Cancer Society to include blood-based tests as a first-line screening option to increase screening access for millions of Americans in need.

Dear Dr. Smith,

Despite decades of hard work and advocacy by the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. In 2025 alone, more than 50,000 Americans are expected to die from this disease. The problem is not that early detection doesn’t work, it’s that too many people don’t complete the traditional screening options available to them.

We now have a meaningful opportunity to improve screening rates – and reach the 54 million Americans who remain unscreened - by expanding the choices patients can access from the start. Shield, an FDA-approved blood-based CRC screening test, was authorized in July 2024 as a primary, first-line screening option for average-risk adults. This marked a significant milestone in reducing long-standing barriers and giving clinicians a simple tool to offer alongside other options that many patients are more willing to complete.

Adherence is as essential as performance in determining the impact of any screening test. The American Cancer Society has previously highlighted the importance of uptake and reinforced that the best test is the one a patient will actually complete. Trusting primary care providers to offer options and letting patients choose what works for them is one of the most effective ways to improve screening rates across diverse populations.

Outdated guidelines that delay coverage for newer screening methods until age 65 limit patient choice and leave nearly 25 million Americans without access to these advances. As early detection evolves, our national recommendations should evolve with it, reflecting both scientific progress and what we know about real-world patient behavior.

I respectfully urge the American Cancer Society to update its colorectal cancer screening guidelines to include blood-based CRC tests as a first-line screening option, consistent with the FDA authorization. Offering patients more options from the outset will help more people get screened and has the potential to save thousands of lives.

Thank you for your leadership in advancing cancer prevention and for considering this critical step toward improving CRC screening rates and outcomes for millions of Americans.

Sincerely,
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