Download 67) CANCER SCREENING What is cancer screening? —Cancer

67) CANCER SCREENING
What is cancer screening? —Cancer screening is done when a person feels healthy. The goal of cancer screening
is to find those cancers that can be found as early as possible, before a person has any symptoms.
Different tests can be used to screen for different types of cancers. The age at which screening starts varies
depending on the type of cancer being screened for. That’s because different cancers tend to strike at different times
in a person’s life.
Why should I have cancer screening? — Cancer that is found early often is small and can sometimes be cured or
treated easily. Treating certain cancers early can help people live longer. Sometimes, screening finds cells that do not
yet show cancer, but that might turn into cancer cells. Doctors often treat this “pre-cancer” before it has a chance to
become cancer.
Does everyone have the same cancer screening? — No. Not everyone is screened for the same types of cancer.
And not everyone begins cancer screening at the same age. For example, people with a family history of certain
cancers might begin screening at a younger age than people without a family history. People might have repeat
screening tests at different times, too. Ask your doctor or nurse:

Which cancers should I be screened for?

Do I have a choice about screening tests?

At what age should I begin cancer screening?

How often should I be screened?
Does an abnormal screening test result mean that I have cancer? — Not always. An abnormal screening test
result means that you might have cancer. It does not mean that you definitely have cancer. If you have an abnormal
result, your doctor or nurse will probably need to do other tests to find out for sure if anything is wrong. Try not to
worry about having cancer until you follow up with your doctor or nurse.
Which cancers can people be screened for? — Some of the types of cancer for which screening tests are
available are:

Breast cancer – The main test used to screen for breast cancer is called a “mammogram.” Doctors do
not always agree about when women should start having mammograms. But most women start around
age 40 or 50. Women who have a strong family history of breast cancer might begin screening earlier.
Work with your doctor or nurse to decide when to start breast cancer screening and at what age you
might stop screening.

Colon cancer – There are 5 or 6 screening tests for colon cancer. The choice of which test to have is
up to you and your doctor. Doctors recommend that most people begin having colon cancer screening
at age 50. Some people have an increased chance of getting colon cancer, because of a strong family
history or certain medical conditions. These people might begin screening at a younger age.

Cervical cancer – The main test used to screen for cervical cancer is called a “Pap smear.” Cervical
cancer screening often begins when a woman turns 21. Doctors might add on another screening test
after a woman turns 30. Women who are older than 65 might not need to continue cervical cancer
screening. If you are older than 65, talk with your doctor about whether or not you should keep getting
screened.

Lung cancer – The main test used to screen for lung cancer is a special kind of x-ray called a “low
dose CT scan.” If you are at high risk of lung cancer, for example because you smoke, ask your doctor
about the risks and benefits of screening. But if you really want to reduce your chances of getting or
dying from lung cancer, the best thing you can do is to stop smoking.

Ovarian cancer – To screen for ovarian cancer, doctors can do a blood test, an imaging test called an
ultrasound, or both. But these tests are not very accurate. Still, the tests are sometimes used in women
with a family history of ovarian or breast cancer. For them, screening might begin at age 30 to 35.