While we are expanding the services available locally to
cancer patients, we also recognize the importance of early
detection. The physicians
on our active medical staff and our specialists
can assist you with screenings and exams to detect cancer
as earlier -- improving your chances of survival.
Below are national health guidelines for cancer screenings.
Additional, helpful information is provided in the right column
to help you make decisions relating to your health.
| Guidelines
for Cancer Screenings |
| Screening: |
For
Whom? |
Helpful
Information: |
| General
cancer checkup. |
Men and women ages 20 to 39 should have
this exam every three years. Over age 40, annually. |
The checkup should include examinations
for cancers of the breast, cervix, colon, thyroid, testicles,
ovaries, lymph nodes, oral cavity and skin, as well as
health counseling about tobacco, sun exposure, diet and
nutrition, risk factors, sexual practices and environmental
and occupational exposures. |
| Pap
smear and pelvic exam. |
Women over age 18 should have this exam
every one to three years or more often if you are at risk
for cervical cancer. |
Risk factors may include having a new sexual
partner or more than one partner, a history of abnormal
pap in the past or a history of sexually transmitted infections. |
| Self
breast exam and periodic breast exam by a health provider. |
Women over age 18 should perform a self
breast exam each month. The ideal time to do this is seven
days after your period starts. |
Women should be aware of what their breasts
normally feel like and look like, and should be attuned
to any change. Feel for a firm discrete lump above or
below your collarbone or underneath your arm; feel for
nipple or skin changes around the breast; and observe
for any bloody nipple discharge. Call your doctor if you
notice any of these symptoms. Ask your health provider
for more information if you do not know how to do the
exam. |
| Mammogram. |
How often a mammogram is needed for women
between the ages of 40-49 is a decision that can be made
between you and your healthcare provider. |
Breast cancer can affect about 1 in 1000
women between the ages of 40-49. The number of women affected
increases to two in 1000 if the woman has a mother, sister
or daughter with breast cancer. |
| Women over age 50 should have a mammogram
every one to two years. |
By age 65, one in 275 women will have breast
cancer. This number goes up if the woman has a mother,
sister or daughter with breast cancer. |
| Discuss with your physician
the addition of breast ultrasound or an MRI for breast
cancer screening. |
| Testicular
self exam. |
Men over age 20 should perform a self-exam
monthly. |
Testicular cancer is one of the few cancers
that occur at a young age. Early detection is the best
screening tool for this often curable cancer. |
| Colon
cancer screenings. |
Men and women ages 50 and older should test
stool for blood yearly and have a sigmoidoscopy every
three to five years; a colonoscopy every 10 years. |
Colon cancer is the second leading cause
of death over 50. It can be prevented or treated if growths
within the colon (polyps) are found early. Watch for changes
in your bowel habits. Let your doctor know if you notice
blood in your stools. Have colon screenings as recommended.
|
| Prostate
screening. |
At age 50, men should talk with health care
providers about beginning prostate-specific (PSA) blood
testing and digital rectal exams (DRE) of the prostate
gland. |
Factors to consider include your overall
health and life expectancy. Some men at higher risk may
begin testing at age 45. High-risk categories include
African-American men and men who have a first-degree relative
who was diagnosed with prostate cancer at a young age. |
If
there is a family history of cancer or if there are
other high risk factors, your physician may recommend
screenings more frequently than these guidelines.
Sources: Center for Disease Control
and the American Cancer Society. Research credit to
Linda Hohneke, RN, MSN.
© 2004
Upland Hills Health, Inc. |
