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Horror Icon Matthew Lillard and Exact Sciences Help Adults 45+ Conquer Fear and Get Screened for Colon Cancer with the Cologuard® Test

By: via Business Wire

Exact Sciences Corp. (NASDAQ: EXAS), a leading provider of cancer screening and diagnostic tests, is teaming up with actor and horror icon Matthew Lillard to encourage people 45 and older to get screened for colorectal cancer—the nation’s second leading cause of cancer-related death.1

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250922874822/en/

Horror icon Matthew Lillard is teaming up with Exact Sciences and the Cologuard test to show that screening for colorectal cancer doesn't have to be scary.

Horror icon Matthew Lillard is teaming up with Exact Sciences and the Cologuard test to show that screening for colorectal cancer doesn't have to be scary.

Best known for his roles in cult classics like Scream and Scooby-Doo, Lillard is using his horror credentials to flip the script on fear of screening. In a new effort with Exact Sciences, he reminds audiences that while horror movies are scary, colorectal cancer screening doesn’t have to be.

“I know a lot about scary situations—and I can say from my own experience using the Cologuard® test that colon cancer screening isn’t one of them,” said Lillard. “For me, screening with Cologuard was a simple and convenient way to be proactive about my health. On the flip side, I’ve seen the impact of cancer up close, and I’m proud to partner with Exact Sciences and Cologuard to help people take action against this horrible disease.”

The SCREEN campaign spotlights the Cologuard test, a noninvasive, easy-to-use option for people at average risk of colorectal cancer. The test requires no special prep and can be completed at home, on a person’s schedule. It has been used to screen more than 20 million times since its FDA approval in 2014.2

Colorectal cancer screenings can detect cancer early when it is more treatable or even prevent cancer by finding precancerous lesions so they can be removed. When caught in its earliest stages, colon cancer is survivable in about 90% of people.*,3

In horror movies, characters often make the wrong decision—like hiding in a shed full of chainsaws or letting their phone battery go dead. For people 45 and older, the scariest choice is skipping screening.

“Colorectal cancer is often considered the most preventable, yet least prevented cancer,”3 said Jeremy Truxal, vice president of screening marketing at Exact Sciences. “Partnering with Matthew Lillard allows us to reach people in a fresh, memorable way—helping them move past their fears while keeping the horror and drama for the big screen, not in their colon cancer screening.”

To watch the campaign video and learn more about the Cologuard test, visit ScreenWithoutScares.com.

*Based on 5-year survival rates

References

  1. ACS. Cancer facts & figures 2025. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2025.
  2. Exact Sciences. Data on file.
  3. Itzkowitz, S. Incremental advances in excremental cancer detection. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2009 Sep 16;101(18):1244-58.

About the Cologuard® and Cologuard Plus™ tests

Developed in collaboration with Mayo Clinic, the Cologuard® and Cologuard Plus™ tests are first-line, noninvasive colorectal cancer (CRC) screening options for adults aged 45 or older who are at average risk for the disease. The Cologuard test revolutionized CRC screening by detecting specific DNA markers and blood in stool associated with cancer and precancer, allowing patients to complete the collection kit at home without special preparation or time off, and return the kit to the lab for results. It is included in national screening guidelines from the American Cancer Society (2018) and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2021). Since its inception in 2014, Cologuard has been used to screen for more CRC 20 million times.

Building on this success, the FDA-approved Cologuard Plus test raises the performance bar even further and features novel biomarkers, improved laboratory processes, and enhanced sample stability. Through high performance, the Cologuard Plus test is designed to reduce the likelihood of false positives, helping to minimize unnecessary follow-up colonoscopies. Both tests demonstrate Exact Sciences’ commitment to improving CRC screening access and outcomes.

About Exact Sciences

A leading provider of cancer screening and diagnostic tests, Exact Sciences (Nasdaq: EXAS) helps patients and health care providers make timely, informed decisions before, during, and after a cancer diagnosis. The company’s growing portfolio includes well-established brands such as Cologuard® and Oncotype DX®, along with innovative solutions like the Cancerguard™ test for multi-cancer early detection and the Oncodetect™ test for molecular residual disease and recurrence monitoring. Exact Sciences continues to invest in a robust pipeline of advanced cancer diagnostics aimed at improving outcomes. For more information, visit ExactSciences.com, follow @ExactSciences on X, or connect on LinkedIn and Facebook.

Exact Sciences and Cologuard are trademarks of Exact Sciences Corporation.

Forward-looking statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements concerning our expectations, anticipations, intentions, beliefs, or strategies regarding the future. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that we have made as of the date hereof and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, conditions and events to differ materially from those anticipated. Therefore, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that may affect our forward-looking statements are described in the Risk Factors sections of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and in our other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

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