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All women are eligible to receive routine breast cancer screening tests. In general, women are advised to begin mammograms at the age of 50, and to receive these every 2 years. A mammogram is a form of x-ray that is specifically designed to look at the breast tissue, and to detect any abnormalities. Suspicious areas of the breast (if there are any) are then followed up with further testing (such as a biopsy, and possibly an MRI). If you have a family history of breast cancer or other risk factors, your doctor may recommend that you begin routine screening at an earlier age. You should also go in to see your doctor anytime you feel a suspicious breast lump on self-exam (you can ask your doctor to teach you how to self-examine your breasts if you are unsure how to do so). Click here for more information on how to screen and test for breast cancer. If other women in your family have had breast or ovarian cancer before the age of 40, you may want to have a genetic test done to see if you carry the BRCA gene. This gene puts you at higher risk for developing these cancers. Talk to your doctor if you think you are a candidate for this test. Most men should start being screened at age fifty-five. There are two types of prostate screenings used. A digital rectal exam tries to detect any lumps or bumps on the prostate, or any hardened or abnormal areas. A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test takes a blood sample and measures the level of PSA in the blood. Your doctor might recommend either or both tests based on family history, medical history, risks, and symptoms. PSA testing can help identify prostate cancer in men who do not have any symptoms, but there is also a chance that it will provide a false positive. Before undergoing a PSA test, have a discussion with your doctor regarding the risks and benefits of such a test for you. If you have an immediate family member (such as a father, brother, or son) who had prostate cancer before age 65, you may want to start screening earlier. African-American men are also at high risk. Click here for more information on how to screen and test for prostate cancer. The other key screening test for women to receive is the Pap test, which examines the cervix for any pre-cancerous or cancerous changes. A speculum is inserted into the vagina, and a sample of cells is taken from around the cervix for examination under a microscope. Women are advised to receive Pap tests beginning at the age of 21, or 3 years after the onset of sexual activity (whichever comes first). This is because the risk of developing cervical cancer is directly related to the presence of HPV, a very common sexually transmitted infection which many people have and is most often asymptomatic. Pap tests are typically done every three years. There are also two vaccines available now - Gardasil and Cervarix. These protect against some of the strains of HPV that cause cervical cancer. These vaccines are now recommended to all girls beginning at age eleven or twelve. Even if you have been vaccinated, regular screening for cervical cancer via Pap tests is still advised. Click here for more information on how to get a Pap test done (which tests for cervical cancer). For people with a 30 pack-year history or greater, it is recommended to get lung cancer screening with a low dose CT scan. This scan will create multiple images of your chest to check for abnormalities. This advice only applies to those who currently smoke or have quit less than 15 years ago.A pack year is the number of packs of cigarettes you smoke per day multiplied by the number of years you have smoked. To have a 30 pack-year history, you would have to smoke one pack a day for thirty years, two packs a day for fifteen years, or three packs a day for ten years. In addition to routine screening for the four cancers described above (breast cancer, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, and skin cancer), you should also be conscious of your overall health and report any symptoms or illnesses to your doctor. Many cancers do not yet have screening tests available, and as such depend on symptom reporting for their detection. If your doctor is worried based on your symptoms, he or she may order further investigative tests. However, routine screening tests (for people without symptoms) are not currently recommended for most other types of cancer because there is not sufficient evidence to support their use. Unexplained weight loss and/or night sweats (not associated with menopause) may both be red flags for possible cancer. If you are experiencing either of these symptoms, book an appointment to see your doctor immediately. If any of your screening tests for cancer come back positive, or if your doctor has reason to suspect that you may have cancer, he or she will organize follow-up tests to further investigate and/or confirm the diagnosis. For instance, if your mammogram was positive, you may be scheduled for a breast biopsy, and if the biopsy comes back positive with a cancer diagnosis, you will be scheduled for surgery (a lumpectomy or a mastectomy). The purpose of screening tests is not to diagnose cancer, but rather, to determine who is at a heightened risk and warrants further investigation. It is the more detailed and comprehensive diagnostic tests (that normally follow screening tests) which will confirm whether or not cancer is in fact present.
Get screened for breast cancer, if you are a woman. Get examined for prostate cancer, if you are a man. Opt for regular Pap tests to detect cervical cancer, if you are a woman. Check for lung cancer if you smoke. Report any suspicious symptoms or health concerns to your doctor. Obtain further testing as needed if cancer is suspected.