This does not mean that every individual who has had a family member with cancer is at a higher risk of developing that disease. There are also familial diseases that predispose patients to cancer, for which early testing should be done. Young women exposed to the drug DES because their mothers took it during pregnancy are at a higher than normal risk for developing a form of vaginal cancer, and should have a gynecological exam earlier than most teenagers. Because of the hazards of radiation, a routine chest x-ray is no longer recommended except for patients at risk of lung cancer or who have symptoms. They may require a regular sputum analysis as well.
Breast cancer occurs in one out of every nine women.
Modern methods of detection permit early identification before it has spread to the lymph nodes. Women at greater risk include those with family history of breast cancer, women over 50, single women, and those with previous breast cancer. All women over 20 should perform breast self- examination monthly. Between ages 20 and 40, a breast physical examination is recommended every 3 years, and over age 40, annually. Low-dose mammography is recommended for all women over 50, and the American Cancer Society also recommends a baseline mammogram for all women between the ages of 35 and 40.