LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — This weekend, Guardant Health partnered with the Pennzoil 400 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to spark conversations about colon cancer screening among thousands of racing fans.
While speed and adrenaline are typically what draw crowds to a NASCAR race, one group had something else on their minds entirely.
VIDEO: Jhovani Carrillo speaks to the director of market activiations at Guardant helath about the importance of detecting colon cancer early
Jules Robertson, director of market activations at Guardant Health, said 1,480 Nevadans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer each year, with just over 520 people dying from the disease. She said 3 out of 4 people who die from colon cancer are not up to date with their screenings.
"If you get it in its earliest stages, stage 1 and stage 2, colon cancer is very treatable and people sometimes get a little bit scared to think they may have cancer, so we want to teach people that they have options," Robertson said.
Those options include colonoscopies, stool tests, and a new FDA-approved blood test called Shield.
"Shield is FDA approved for colon cancer screening, for anyone 45 years or older, who is due for screening at average risk. Shield is by prescription only," Robertson said.
Robertson said she spoke with thousands of race fans over the weekend about the new blood test. While no tests were conducted at the event, she said raising awareness around colon cancer is a critical step in encouraging people to get screened.
"First step is awareness, to know that people need to get screened for cancer, what's the age, what are the specifics, so they know how to have the conversation with their doctors," Robertson said.
The conversations took place just outside the Shield Across America bus, stationed at the speedway throughout the weekend.
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