A new kind of test that finds evidence of colon cancer in the stool can also detect pre-cancerous growths and could potentially be an alternative to colonoscopies, researchers reported Thursday.

Exact Sciences’ new test detected 87 percent of stage I, II and III colon tumors, which can be surgically removed, and found 64 percent of the biggest pre-cancerous growths, the researchers told a meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research. Get the full story »