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Can convenient tests fix the U.S.'s cancer screening problem?
Cancer screening rates are low, but survey data shows more convenient and innovative testing methods could increase patient engagement and access.
Innovations in testing could help address the nation's flagging cancer screening rates, according to new data from the Prevent Cancer Foundation, indicating that more convenient or less invasive options might improve patient engagement.
The "2025 Early Detection Survey" revealed that 64% of adults who are behind on at least one cancer screening would be more likely to get the screen if they could use an at-home test, a less invasive test or a faster or less frequent test. The survey included a nationally representative sample of 7,000 adults aged 21 and older.
These findings come as cancer screening and preventive screening rates are on the decline in the U.S. According to Prevent Cancer Foundation data, 69% of adults are behind on at least one routine cancer screening. Conversely, only 51% of adults aged 21 or older are getting all of their routine medical care and cancer screenings.
"Behind every data point is a person -- and what they're telling us is clear: They want cancer screenings that are convenient and accessible," Jody Hoyos, CEO of the Prevent Cancer Foundation, said in a press release.
That convenience piece is critical, according to the survey. Many patients don't get their preventive screenings because they are inconvenient, and they struggle to get time off work or a ride to an appointment. Cancer screening tools such as at-home tests can help circumvent this issue, patient respondents indicated.
For example, 82% of the survey respondents eligible for cervical cancer screening said they'd be more likely to access the preventive screening if they could use a self-collect test for human papillomavirus, the virus that causes most cervical cancers.
Similarly, patients expressed interest in less invasive cancer screenings, like a blood test to detect colorectal cancer as opposed to the typical colonoscopy.
Around a quarter (27%) of patients who are behind on their colorectal cancer screenings or who are unsure if they are behind said they'd be more likely to get the screen if it were a blood test.
Low awareness limits innovative cancer detection
Use of more innovative cancer screenings, such as at-home tests or less invasive blood tests, isn't exactly high, in part because patients aren't aware of them and therefore cannot request them.
Take, for example, multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests, which are blood tests that are capable of flagging multiple types of cancer. Although MCED tests are not intended to replace traditional cancer screenings, experts indicate they can serve as a gateway to get high-risk patients in for more traditional cancer testing.
Right now, less than half (42%) of patients said they've heard of an MCED test, but they admit they know little about it.
However, once patients learn more about MCED tests, their interest skyrockets. Three-quarters of the survey respondents said they'd be interested in taking an MCED test once they learn about the screening.
Prevent Cancer Foundation said spreading awareness of these tests, which the organization said could be a first stop for early cancer detection, is paramount. FDA approval of the tests and insurance coverage could help spread awareness.
"It's time we truly listen; we need to raise awareness about all available options and meet people where they are -- supporting their lifestyles and helping to reverse the trends we're seeing," Hoyos stressed.
"And we need to fund research to discover the best screening methods for all cancer types, as well as ensure people have information and access to the effective screening methods available now," she added. "New breakthroughs in cancer screenings can lead to a world where cancer is preventable, detectable and beatable for all."
Logistics remain a key obstacle to preventive screenings
Creating alternatives to cancer screening will be essential as the nation stares down a looming access issue.
In May 2025, an Aflac survey revealed that nearly 90% of the 2,000 employed adults ages 18-65 it surveyed have delayed getting a checkup or routine preventive screening. Critical cancer screenings are among the most commonly missed preventive measures. A third of respondents are behind on their prostate exams (32%), colonoscopies (32%) and mammograms (31%). Another 27% of respondents are behind on full-body skin cancer screening.
Around half (48%) of respondents said their work schedule is too difficult to manage with preventive screening. These individuals said it's too hard to take time off work to get a preventive screening. Meanwhile, 40% of respondents said they've canceled or not scheduled a doctor's appointment because the wait was too long.
Certain policies, such as mandated paid time off from work for medical appointments or systems to streamline staffing and appointment inefficiencies, could be essential to easing the preventive care bottleneck.
But as indicated by the Prevent Cancer Foundation data, more tools to help patients more easily get a cancer screening might also be a key gateway to ensure more early detection.
Sara Heath has reported news related to patient engagement and health equity since 2015.
