Guardant Health Launches Coast-to-Coast Screening Tour, Bringing Shield Colon Cancer Blood Test to Over 100 Communities Across America
MWN-AI** Summary
Guardant Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: GH), a prominent precision oncology firm, has announced its "Shield Across America" initiative, a nationwide mobile screening tour designed to enhance colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates. Kicking off during Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, this ground-breaking tour will span over 100 communities, extending from Las Vegas to Hartford and Atlanta while focusing on rural areas facing significant barriers to screening.
The initiative introduces Shield, the first and only FDA-approved blood test tailored for primary CRC screening. National guidelines recommend this innovative testing method, which has shown to significantly improve adherence rates—93% of patients completed the test during its initial rollout. Many eligible Americans, about 54 million or 1 in 3, do not undergo screening due to existing options being perceived as unpleasant or inconvenient.
The mobile screening lab aims to educate communities about the importance of CRC screening, enabling individuals aged 45 and older to access Shield conveniently—often during routine medical visits. This effort addresses the stark reality that CRC is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S., with a particular rise in concern for those under 50.
Guardant Health's co-CEO, AmirAli Talasaz, emphasized the importance of access in overcoming screening challenges, stating that the initiative aims to bring essential testing where people live and work. With Shield now covered by Medicare and available in various healthcare settings, the tour seeks to eliminate barriers and significantly boost CRC screening participation, ultimately aiming to save lives through early detection. For more information on finding a local screening event, visit ShieldAcrossAmerica.com.
MWN-AI** Analysis
Guardant Health's launch of the "Shield Across America" mobile screening tour represents a significant step forward in addressing colorectal cancer (CRC) screening gaps in the United States. This initiative targets rural communities with the lowest screening rates, which could catalyze increased adoption of the Shield blood test, the first FDA-approved blood-based CRC screening option.
Investors should monitor how the effectiveness of this screening tour translates into sales and overall market penetration for Guardant Health, especially given that CRC is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. The company has already demonstrated a 93% adherence rate among individuals who have access to Shield, a promising statistic that could bolster both investor confidence and market demand. The coinciding launch during National CRC Awareness Month highlights the company's strategic marketing approach, raising awareness about the importance of screening while simultaneously promoting their product.
Additionally, the inclusion of Shield in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines further solidifies its legitimacy and could enhance its acceptance among healthcare providers. This endorsement may lead to expanded insurance coverage and adoption, potentially driving up revenues for Guardant Health.
The mobile tour, while addressing healthcare inequities, also positions Guardant as a proactive player in the oncology space, capable of addressing broader public health challenges. As the demand for non-invasive testing options increases, Guardant’s strategic emphasis on accessibility can attract attention from both healthcare providers and patients.
In conclusion, investors would be wise to keep an eye on the metrics surrounding the Shield Across America tour, including community engagement and subsequent sales data, as these will likely serve as key indicators of Guardant Health's future growth trajectory and overall market potential in the oncology sector.
**MWN-AI Summary and Analysis is based on asking OpenAI to summarize and analyze this news release.
- Shield Across America mobile screening tour launches during Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month to address nation’s dangerously low screening rates by bringing Shield blood test directly to Americans
- Route will focus on rural communities across the country with the lowest screening rates and highest CRC incidence and mortality
- Shield is proven to increase screening rates with a 93% adherence
Guardant Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: GH), a leading precision oncology company, today announced the launch of Shield Across America, a historic coast-to-coast mobile screening tour bringing Shield, the first and only FDA-approved blood test as a primary colorectal cancer (CRC) screening option and recommended in national guidelines , directly to over 100 communities across the country from Las Vegas to Hartford, Atlanta and more.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260304217437/en/
Mobile screening bus providing Shield by Guardant Health, the first and only FDA-approved blood test for primary colorectal cancer screening
From national sporting events to rural senior centers and beyond, the tour will educate patients on the importance of CRC screening and provide patients of screening-eligible age the opportunity to screen with Shield via the mobile screening lab. The Shield Across America tour will focus on rural areas that face the biggest barriers to colorectal cancer screening and the highest incidence and mortality rates.
The tour launch coincides with National CRC Awareness Month, underscoring Guardant Health’s commitment to close America’s colorectal cancer screening gap and help more Americans get screened.
CRC remains the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S., and recently the leading cancer death for those under 50. Despite being highly treatable when caught early, more than 54 million eligible Americans – 1 in 3 – do not complete their CRC screening because they find current options unpleasant or inconvenient. Shield Across America aims to eliminate the barriers that have kept many Americans from getting screened by expanding access to Shield through mobile screening lab stops nationwide.
“Shield Across America seeks to address a fundamental challenge in colorectal cancer screening in our country: access,” said AmirAli Talasaz, Guardant Health co-CEO. “By bringing screening directly to where Americans live, work and enjoy with a focus on our rural communities who face some of the biggest barriers to screening, we aim to encourage more people to get their lifesaving screening and close our nation’s screening gap.”
Shield is proven to increase screening rates in the real world, with 93% of patients completing the test in the first 100,000 Shield tests ordered – a significant improvement in screening adherence rates over other types of tests. 1 Recently, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network included the Shield blood test in its updated CRC screening guidelines, paving the way for improved patient access and additional major clinical guideline inclusions.
Built on Guardant’s proprietary technology pioneered more than a decade ago, Shield is covered by Medicare, the Veterans Affairs Community Care Network and TRICARE, for active-duty service members, and is commercially available across the U.S.
Shield is available by prescription only and can be completed during a routine doctor’s visit. To find a screening event near you or find more details on the Shield test to discuss with your local provider, visit ShieldAcrossAmerica.com.
About Shield
Shield is a methylation partitioning cell-free DNA (mp-cfDNA) non-invasive, blood-based screening test that detects alterations associated with colorectal cancer in the blood. It is intended as a screening test for individuals at average risk for the disease, age 45 or older, and is not intended for individuals at high risk for colorectal cancer. The Shield test can be considered in a manner similar to guideline-recommended non-invasive CRC screening options and can be completed during any healthcare visit. A positive Shield result raises concern for the presence of colorectal cancer or advanced adenoma and the patient should be referred for colonoscopy evaluation.
About Guardant Health
Guardant Health is a leading precision oncology company focused on guarding wellness and giving every person more time free from cancer. Founded in 2012, Guardant is transforming patient care and accelerating new cancer therapies by providing critical insights into what drives disease through its advanced blood and tissue tests, real-world data and AI analytics. Guardant tests help improve outcomes across all stages of care, including screening to find cancer early, monitoring for recurrence in early-stage cancer and treatment selection for patients with advanced cancer. For more information, visit guardanthealth.com and follow the company on LinkedIn , X (Twitter) and Facebook .
Guardant Health Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, including statements regarding the potential utilities, values, benefits and advantages of Guardant Health’s liquid biopsy tests or assays, which involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results and expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and actual outcomes and results could differ materially from these statements due to a number of factors. These and additional risks and uncertainties that could affect Guardant Health’s financial and operating results and cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release include those discussed under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation” and elsewhere in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and in its other reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Guardant Health as of the date hereof, and Guardant Health disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements provided to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Guardant Health’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.
1 Inadomi JM, Vijan S, Janz NK, et al. Adherence to colorectal cancer screening: a randomized clinical trial of competing strategies. Arch Intern Med. 2012;172(7):575-582.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260304217437/en/
Investor Contact:
Zarak Khurshid
investors@guardanthealth.com
Media Contact:
Meaghan Smith
press@guardanthealth.com
FAQ**
How does Guardant Health Inc. GH plan to measure the effectiveness of the Shield Across America tour in increasing colorectal cancer screening rates among rural communities?
What are the potential financial impacts on Guardant Health Inc. GH from introducing the Shield blood test as a primary colorectal cancer screening option?
Given the high rate of non-compliance with traditional screening methods, how does Guardant Health Inc. GH position Shield to address the barriers faced by eligible Americans in rural areas?
What strategies will Guardant Health Inc. GH employ to sustain and scale the Shield Across America initiative beyond the initial tour timeframe?
**MWN-AI FAQ is based on asking OpenAI questions about Guardant Health Inc. (NASDAQ: GH).
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