Some Tests for Colon Cancer May Be Ineffective, Experts Say

Some tests that are routinely done to detect a recurrence of colon cancer--including CT scans, chest X-rays, blood counts and tests of liver function--may not be effective and should not be recommended, cancer experts said Wednesday.

A review by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, which represents 12,000 cancer doctors, found that such tests are either not sensitive enough or there is no data showing that they work. The society said it was recommending only two screening methods to detect a recurrence of the cancer--a regular physical exam and a colonoscopy every three to five years. In a colonoscopy, a camera is put on the end of a tube, which is then threaded into the colon to look for the little polyps that can grow into tumors and spread.

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Compiled by Times medical writer Thomas H. Maugh II