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Comment by melling | Hacker News Reader

An inexpensive test that could be done annually would be great. There has been a recent debate over the effectiveness of colonoscopies.

“Colonoscopies may not be as effective as thought, study suggests. Doctors disagree.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/need-colonoscopy-...

Chadwick Boseman died from colon cancer before he reached the recommended age for a colonoscopy.

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> In fact, the results were actually quite good for the people in the study who got the colonoscopies — a 31% reduction in colon cancer risk and a 50% reduction in risk of dying from it, experts said.

> “In order for a colonoscopy to be effective, you have to have it done,” said Dr. Robin Mendelsohn

Huh? So the study found that being randomly selected to be invited for a colonoscopy doesn't improve your risk of dying from colon cancer, but if you bother to get the colonoscopy, it reduces risk by 50%? Maybe they previously though it would decrease risk by more than 50%.

We've gotten pretty damn good at curing colorectal cancer (not including QOL). The 5 year survival rate for even Stage 3 (locally advanced with nearby lymph nodes) is around 70%. Stage 4 (other organ involvement) is still basically a death sentence, but most people are in their doctor's office long before then. All this to say, there is going to be diminishing returns for any new treatment or early diagnosis.

Just need to cut to the chase and build a vaccine for it.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9384853/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10383643/

https://www.mskcc.org/news/vaccine-targeting-kras-in-pancrea...

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