Saskatchewan has become the first province to licence a blood test to detect colorectal cancer.
The made-in-Saskatchewan diagnostic blood test was developed by Phenomenome Discoveries Inc. of Saskatoon.
"This has the potential to make a big difference to Saskatchewan people dealing with cancer,” said Premier Brad Wall.
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The test measures the blood levels of a novel metabolite that is low in people with colorectal cancer.
Over 5,000 patients took part in clinical trials over a two-year period in the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region. The results led to the diagnosis of 87 per cent of early stage cancers.
"Colorectal cancer is more than 90 per cent preventable and easily treated when found in the early stages," Saskatchewan Cancer Agency Chief Executive Officer Scott Livingstone said.
Colorectal cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in both men and women. Each year, approximately 650 people in Saskatchewan are diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 250 people die from the disease.
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