NEW YORK – Guardant Health said Thursday that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana will now cover the use of its Guardant Reveal molecular residual disease test for serial testing of colorectal cancer patients after surgery.
The company's test detects circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in patient blood samples and is intended to aid oncologists in detecting cancer recurrences after initial, hopefully curative treatment.
The BCBS policy, effective July 10, is specific to patients with stage II or III colorectal cancer and provides for a testing frequency aligned with monitoring guidelines established by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. This includes an initial ctDNA test four to six weeks after surgery or two to four weeks after completion of systemic therapy, followed by serial monitoring every three to six months for the first two years and every six to 12 months for the following three years.
In morning trade on the Nasdaq, Guardant Health's stock was down a fraction of a percent at $37.63.