Exact laments delayed cancer guidelines

MARLBOROUGH, Mass --Exact Sciences, which develops cancer tests, said Thursday a leading medical society has delayed publishing new cancer screening guidelines, which the company hopes will eventually include its technology.

Exact Sciences hopes the American Cancer Society will recommend its stool DNA test as a method for detecting colon cancer, and avoiding costly colonoscopies, when it publishes revised guidelines. The Society told Exact Sciences the guidelines would not be published this month. No additional information was available.

The company's most recent studies show the test has an 88 percent level of sensitivity in detecting cancer from stool samples.

Shares of Exact Sciences Corp. rose 4 cents Thursday to close at $3.04.