Poop tests and blood tests join colonoscopy as options for colorectal cancer screening

The Conversation · 🇦🇺 public Australia · May 30, 2026 · 713 words · By Andrea Dwyer

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What to know about Poop tests and blood tests join colonoscopy as options for colorectal cancer screening

The article discusses updated colorectal cancer screening guidelines from the American Cancer Society, which include new stool-based and blood-based testing options. It emphasizes that while new options exist for average-risk individuals, colonoscopies remain the preferred method, especially for those with symptoms or high risk.

Propaganda risk 0%

Claims checked 12

Techniques found 0

Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center75%

Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

It’s increasingly common to see headlines and social media conversations about the rise in colorectal cancer among younger adults.

Why it matters

In fact, the growing incidence of colorectal cancer in people under age 50 helped drive the American Cancer Society’s 2018 decision to recommend lowering the recommended age for average-risk screening from 50 to 45.

Common ground

Riding on the momentum of increasing public awareness of colorectal cancer, the society has now released updated screening guidelines in May 2026 to include new tests that reflect the latest science and could improve access to care.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Follow-up questions

What concrete event or decision sits underneath the headline: Poop tests and blood tests join colonoscopy as options for colorectal cancer screening?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that For people with a family history of colorectal cancer or genetic or hereditary syndromes – or signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer, such as blood in the stool – a colonoscopy is the only recommended test?
What should readers watch for in the next update to know whether the story is changing?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://theconversation.com/poop-tests-and-blood-tests-join-colonoscopy-as-optio…

analyticsAnalysis

Propaganda Score

confidence: 100%

Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 12 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 8

schedule Pending 2

info Single Source 1

help Insufficient Evidence 1

info

Claim 1: “For people with a family history of colorectal cancer or genetic or hereditary syndromes – or signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer, such as blood in the stool – a colonoscopy is the only recommended test.”

SINGLE SOURCE

Only one specific web search result explicitly states that colonoscopy is the 'only recommended test' for those with family history or symptoms; other sources mention it is 'preferred' or 'should' be used, but do not explicitly exclude all other options in the same phrasing.

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web search NEUTRAL — Colonoscopy is similar to sigmoidoscopy, but surveys the entire colon rather than only the sigmoid colon. A colonoscopy permits a comprehensive examination of the entire colon, which runs about 120 to…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonoscopy

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web search NEUTRAL — For people with a family history of colorectal cancer or genetic or hereditary syndromes – or signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer, such as blood in the stool – a colonoscopy is the only recommende…
https://theconversation.com/poop-tests-and-blood-tests-join-…

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web search NEUTRAL — “Colon cancer wasn’t really even on the radar,” she said. “So, it was kind of a shock.” March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.People with a family history of colorectal cancer, past poly…
https://amsurg.com/blog/2024/02/29/amsurg-patient-encourages…

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Claim 2: “the growing incidence of colorectal cancer in people under age 50 helped drive the American Cancer Society’s 2018 decision to recommend lowering the recommended age for average-risk screening from 50 to 45”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources, including a PMC study and web search results, confirm that the ACS published guidelines in May 2018 recommending the screening age be lowered to 45 due to increasing incidence in younger adults.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. The ACS publishes the journals Cancer, CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians and Cancer Cytopat…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Cancer_Society

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society. It was founded in September 2001 to directly lobby with the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Cancer_Society_Cancer…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Hope Lodge is a program operated by the American Cancer Society (ACS) that provides free lodging to cancer patients and their caregivers when treatment is required away from home. Patients must be rec…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hope_Lodge_(American_Cancer_So…

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 3: “the updated guidelines still offer patients a choice between a stool test and a direct visual exam – such as a colonoscopy – as the primary screening methods.”

CORROBORATED

Web search results confirm that the updated guidelines maintain the choice between stool tests and direct visual exams (colonoscopies) as primary methods.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Colonoscopy or coloscopy is a medical procedure involving the endoscopic examination of the large bowel and the distal portion of the small bowel. This examination is performed using either a CCD came…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonoscopy

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web search NEUTRAL — Patients who refuse a colonoscopy or a stool-based screening test can choose this test. Notably, the updated guidelines still offer patients a choice between a stool test and a direct visual exam—such…
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-poop-blood-colonoscop…

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web search NEUTRAL — The recommendations are an update to the ACS's screening guidelines – an update led by Andrew Wolf, MD, a cancer-prevention expert at UVA Health.It also affirmed the importance of screening tools such…
https://www.miragenews.com/new-colorectal-guidelines-favor-s…

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Claim 4: “the society has now released updated screening guidelines in May 2026 to include new tests”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web search results explicitly state that the American Cancer Society released updated colorectal cancer screening guidelines on May 27, 2026.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Canadian Cancer Society (French: Société canadienne du cancer) is Canada's largest national cancer charity and the largest national charitable funder of cancer research in Canada.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Cancer_Society

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 5: “Common symptoms of colorectal cancer include blood in the stool, change in bowel habits or stool, pain, or unexplained weight loss of 10 or more pounds.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 6: “It is also still recommended that adults with an average risk of colorectal cancer should start screening at age 45, and keep getting screened until age 75”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources, including PubMed and other web search results, confirm the ACS reaffirms that average-risk adults should be screened from age 45 to 75.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Expected shortfall (ES) is a risk measure—a concept used in the field of financial risk measurement to evaluate the market risk or credit risk of a portfolio. The "expected shortfall at q% level" is t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expected_shortfall

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Flight Risk is a 2025 American action thriller film directed by Mel Gibson, and starring Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Dockery, and Topher Grace. Its plot follows a pilot (Wahlberg) transporting a Deputy U.…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_Risk_(film)

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — In epidemiology, a risk factor or determinant is a variable associated with an increased risk of disease or infection. Due to a lack of harmonization across disciplines, determinant, in its more widel…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_factor

+ 3 more evidence sources

help

Claim 7: “the new blood tests are not as sensitive as the other tests for preventing cancer”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

While some sources mention that doctors should explain 'strengths and weaknesses' of tests, no provided evidence explicitly states that blood tests are 'not as sensitive' as the other tests for preventing cancer.

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Claim 8: “The first option is an at-home screening test that checks stool samples for hidden blood and other molecular markers... The guidelines recommend taking these tests every three years.”

CORROBORATED

Web search results confirm the addition of at-home stool tests (specifically mentioning Cologuard and ColoSense) and that some are recommended every three years.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Updated colorectal cancer screening guidelines now include at-home stool tests and blood-based tests as alternatives to colonoscopy for average-risk adults starting at age 45. Colonoscopy remains the …
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-poop-blood-colonoscop…

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web search NEUTRAL — These are recommended every year or every three years, depending on the test.The updated guideline reaffirms that average-risk adults should begin colorectal cancer screening at age 45 and continue th…
https://stylemagazine.com/news/2026/may/29/blood-testing-is-…

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web search NEUTRAL — At-home stool tests are simple, safe and accurate. You can take the test in the privacy of your home. There's little to no preparation, and you don't need to miss work. There are two common types of s…
https://www.beaconhealthsystem.org/library/articles/at-home-…

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Claim 9: “The new blood tests are recommended only if a patient refuses a colonoscopy or a stool test.”

CORROBORATED

Web search results confirm that the blood-based test (Shield) is for people who 'decline other preferred screening methods' or 'refuse a colonoscopy or a stool-based screening test'.

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Claim 10: “The updated guidelines have added two additional screening options.”

CORROBORATED

Web search results confirm that the 2026 guidelines added new screening options, specifically mentioning at-home stool tests and blood-based tests as additions/alternatives.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Certain American television events in 2026 have been scheduled. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, and cancellations; channel launches, closures, and rebrandings; stations changing…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_in_American_television

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The following notable deaths occurred in 2026. Names are reported under the date of death, in alphabetical order. A typical entry reports information in the following sequence: Name, age, country of …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deaths_in_2026

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 11: “The other option is a blood-based screening test that can be done at a doctor’s office. Patients who refuse a colonoscopy or a stool-based screening test can choose this test.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results explicitly state that a blood-based test (specifically 'Shield') is now an option for patients who refuse colonoscopies or stool-based tests.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Patients who refuse a colonoscopy or a stool-based screening test can choose this test.Updated colorectal cancer screening guidelines now include at-home stool tests and blood-based tests as alternati…
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-poop-blood-colonoscop…

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web search NEUTRAL — And they recommend that anyone who tests positive on any stool or blood test should receive a colonoscopy promptly. It's important, they note, that doctors explain to patients the strengths and weakne…
https://www.miragenews.com/new-colorectal-guidelines-favor-s…

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web search NEUTRAL — New screening options include the at-home stool tests Cologuard and ColoSense, both recommended every 3 years, as well as the blood-based test Shield for people who decline other preferred screening m…
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/new-colorectal-can…

schedule

Claim 12: “A colonoscopy will also be required if a stool or blood test results in a positive or abnormal finding.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.