April 2025

Discoveries, trends, and discussions in medical diagnostics

Welcome to the April issue of Diagnostics Dialogue, where you can get up to speed on the most important discoveries, trends, and discussions in medical diagnostics. Continue reading to learn more.

April is Stress Awareness Month

April is Stress Awareness Month

April is Stress Awareness Month

April is Stress Awareness Month

Stress impacts both mind and body, and when it accumulates, it can lead to inflammation, weaken the immune system, and increase the risk of serious health conditions—including digestive issues, heart disease, weight gain, and stroke.1

43% of adults experience negative health effects from stress2

April is a time to spotlight the importance of recognizing underlying health issues and prioritizing holistic wellness. 

Quest provides a comprehensive portfolio of tests to help uncover the root causes of patient symptoms. By working together, we can empower patients to take proactive steps toward long-term health—addressing potential concerns before they become chronic conditions.

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Better outcomes

Better outcomes

Improve colorectal cancer screening compliance

Gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) conditions, including colorectal cancer, are among the nation’s most serious health challenges.
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women combined,3 and yet, nearly 30% of adults are not up-to-date on their recommended screening.4 The USPSTF recommends screening for colorectal cancer in adults aged 45-75 years.5
Early detection helps save lives
The 5-year survival rate is 90% when colorectal cancer is caught in early stages.6

Quest makes the screening process convenient with InSure® ONE™, a fecal immunochemical test (FIT) that your patients can collect at their homes.

Expand options for cervical cancer screening with HPV self-collection

Through regular screening and follow-up, cervical cancer can be prevented or detected at an early stage. Ensuring routine cervical cancer screening remains a challenge.7
There are some women who delay testing because of the invasive nature of speculum-based specimen collection. 

These may include 
  • Transgender individuals10
  • Women with religious barriers to such procedures11
  • Women with a history of physical trauma12
4.4M fewer American women received screening in 2021 vs 2019(8)
1.7% increase in incidence of cervical cancer in women 30-44 years old(8)
Self-collect options from Quest can help overcome obstacles to traditional screening. 

Quest is also proud to offer co-testing and HPV primary testing, ensuring all women have access to the guideline-aligned screening option appropriate for them. Co-testing with Pap and HPV helps identify more cases of cancer and precancer than either test alone.13

Quest offers the Aptima mRNA HPV assay that targets E6/E7 mRNA and identifies high-risk infections that are both present and active, reducing the need for unnecessary patient call backs and overtreatment.14

Better experiences

Better experiences

Screen beyond ANA for faster autoimmune disease diagnoses

50M Americans are affected by autoimmune disease15

25% have more than 1 autoimmune disease15

Prior COVID-19 infection may increase the risk of autoimmune disease16
On average, patients with autoimmune disease see 4 different doctors over a 4-year period before an accurate diagnosis is made.17 

For some autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and autoimmune thyroid disease (ATD), antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are only prevalent in a minority of patients with those conditions. 

Quest’s autoimmune comprehensive panels screen for ANA, plus the most informative disease-specific markers help empower a faster differential diagnosis or identify patients with multiple autoimmune conditions.
ANAlyzeR™ ANA, IFA with Reflex Titer/Pattern, Systemic Autoimmune Panel 1 >
ANA, IFA, Cascade and Rheumatoid Arthritis Panel 2, with Reflexes >
Plus, nearly 71% of insured patients do not receive a bill for ANAlyzeR.18

Provide answers to patients with HIV

While HIV infections have been steadily decreasing19—thanks to HIV testing and increases in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) prescriptions—there are still 1.2M people in the US living with the disease.19
~332K new HIV infections diagnosed in 2022(19)
70% of new HIV infections estimated in 2022 among Black and Hispanic Americans(19)
HIV screening is important in early diagnosis and treatment, and to help reduce the risk of transmission
According to the CDC:20
  • Everyone aged 13-64 should be tested at least once
  • People at higher risk of acquiring (or exposure to) HIV should be tested at least annually
  • Sexually active gay and bisexual men may benefit from more frequent testing (eg, every 3-6 months)
Learn about our comprehensive testing menu to support every step in the care continuum.

Removing traditional barriers to testing 

Removing traditional barriers to testing 

Removing traditional barriers to testing 

Identify more patients likely to have primary aldosteronism with PRA testing

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is a condition that can lead to serious health complications if patients aren’t screened or are missed with traditional aldosterone renin ratio (ARR) screenings. PA is also the most common cause of secondary hypertension.21
Plasma renin activity (PRA) is a newer screening option that may help identify more at-risk patients
Patients with untreated PA are at a disproportionately higher risk of cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic disease when compared to essential hypertensive patients. 

Our PA screening solution can help you make informed decisions about treatment plans or referral to specialists to help optimize patient care.

Listen to our latest podcast for new insights and advances in the diagnosis of PA.

Detect measles early to help minimize risk of transmission

Measles is one of the most contagious of all infectious diseases. It causes fever, a red rash, cough, and watery eyes and can lead to serious complications.

9 out of 10 susceptible people with close contact to someone with measles will develop the disease.23
Measles is a mandatory, immediately notifiable disease
CDC recommends collecting either a nasopharyngeal swab, throat swab, or urine specimen as well as a blood specimen from all patients with clinical features compatible with measles.23 Quest offers the testing you need to help confirm measles infection and help patients take the necessary steps to minimize the risk of transmission.
Quest also offers serological testing to determine immune status, when vaccination status or partial vaccination status is unknown.

Achieving the Quadruple Aim in your practice

Our purpose is to support you and your patients with leading services, patient experiences, and innovative testing that can help you provide clarity to the constant changes and challenges we’re seeing in healthcare today.

About Diagnostics Dialogue

In our conversations with providers across the country, we hear that you are facing many different constraints that make delivering care challenging. We’re here to help you navigate the uncertainty and deliver better health. With a broad test menu spanning 3,500+ tests and consultations from our medical staff of over 700 MDs and PhDs, we empower healthcare providers to create healthier communities, one patient at a time.
References
  1. American Psychological Association. Stress in America 2023. November 2023. Accessed March 6, 2025. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2023/collective-trauma-recovery
  2. The American Institute of Stress. Stress in adults. 2024. Accessed March 6, 2025. https://www.stress.org/who-gets-stressed/adults
  3. American Cancer Society. Key statistics for colorectal cancer. Updated January 16, 2025. Accessed February 21, 2025. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/colon-rectal-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
  4. NIH National Cancer Institute. Cancer trends progress report. March 2024. Accessed March 6, 2024. https://progressreport.cancer.gov/detection/colorectal_cancer
  5. US Preventive Services Task Force. Colorectal cancer: Screening. May 18, 2021. Accessed March 19, 2025. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/colorectal-cancer-screening
  6. American Cancer Society. Can colorectal polyps and cancer be found early? January 29, 2024. Accessed November 8, 2024. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/colon-rectal-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/detection.html
  7. National Cancer Institute. Cancer Currents: Overdue cervical cancer screening increasing. January 14, 2022. Accessed December 20, 2024. https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2022/overdue-cervical-cancer-screening-increasing
  8. Star J, Bandi P, Siegel RL, et al. Cancer screening in the United States during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic. J Clin Oncol. 2023;41(27): 4352-4359. doi:10.1200/JCO.22.02170
  9. American Cancer Society. Key statistics for cervical cancer. June 28, 2024. Accessed December 20, 2024. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/cervical-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
  10. Welsh HF, Andrus EC, Sandler CB, et al. Cervicovaginal and anal self-sampling for human papillomavirus testing in a transgender and gender diverse population assigned female at birth: comfort, difficulty, and willingness to use. LGBT Health. Published online April 4, 2024. doi:10.1089/lgbt.2023.0336
  11. Padela AI, Peek M, Johnson-Agbakwu CE, Hosseinian Z, Curlin F. Associations between religion-related factors and cervical cancer screening among Muslims in greater Chicago. J Low Genit Tract Dis. 2014;18(4):326-32. doi:10.1097/LGT.0000000000000026
  12. Madding RA, Currier JJ, Yanit K, et al. HPV self-collection for cervical cancer screening among survivors of sexual trauma: a qualitative study. BMC Women’s Health. 2024;24:509. doi:10.1186/s12905-024-03301-x
  13. Kaufman HW, Alagia DP, Chen Z, et al. Contributions of liquid-based (Papanicolaou) cytology and human papillomavirus testing in cotesting for detection of cervical cancer and precancer in the United States. Am J Clin Pathol. 2020;154(4):510-516. doi:10.1093/ajcp/aqaa074
  14. Pešut E, Đukić A, Lulić L, et al. Human papillomaviruses-associated cancers: An update of current knowledge. Viruses. 2021;13(11):2234. doi:10.3390/v13112234
  15. Autoimmune Association. Autoimmune Awareness Month. Accessed March 6, 2025. https://autoimmune.org/autoimmune-awareness-month/
  16. Chang R, Wang SI, Hung YM, Chen HY, Wei CCJ. Risk of autoimmune diseases in patients with COVID-19: A retrospective cohort study. eClinicalMedicine. 2023;56:101783. doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101783
  17. Autoimmune Association. Tips for getting a diagnosis of an autoimmune disease. Accessed May 2, 2024. https://autoimmune.org/resource-center/diagnosis-tips
  18. Data on file. Quest Diagnostics. 2025
  19. HIV.gov. US statistics. Updated February 21, 2025. Accessed March 6, 2025. https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/data-and-trends/statistics
  20. CDC. Fast facts: HIV in the US. April 22, 2024. Accessed October 9, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/data-research/facts-stats/index.html
  21. Funder JW, Carey RM, Fardella C, et al. Case detection, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with primary aldosteronism: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008;93(9):3266-3281. doi:10.1210/jc.2008-0104
  22. Turcu AF, Yang J, Vaidya A. Primary aldosteronism — a multidimensional syndrome. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2022;18(11): 665-682. doi:10.1038/s41574-022-00730-2
  23. CDC. Clinical overview of measles. July 15, 2025. Accessed March 6, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/measles/hcp/clinical-overview/index.html
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