Cancer screening for men and women

Published on 09/02/2018

Cancer screening for men and women

Cancer screening for men and women. Regular sport and exercise, a healthy and balanced diet, and a healthy lifestyle can ensure good general health and reduce the risk of developing cancer, malignant tumors, and other serious diseases. It is also important to consult your doctor about your risk of developing different types of cancer, as well as for information about various cancer screening tests.
Cancer screening tests are used to identify any underlying cause of malignancy or cancer in individuals who have no symptoms. Cancer screening tests can detect the development of cancer at the earliest possible stage, when the malignancy is still minimal and the cancer has not yet metastasized to other parts of the body.
The following principles of cancer screening are recommended for most adult men and women.

1. Breast cancer

Women should be aware of the limitations, benefits, and possible dangers of mammograms before opting for breast cancer screening.

    • Women between the ages of 40 and 44 can opt for annual breast cancer screening with a mammogram if they wish. Breast radiology is referred to as mammography.
    • Women between the ages of 45 and 54 should have an annual mammogram.
    • Women over the age of 54 can opt for breast cancer screening once every two years. However, they can also continue to opt for an annual mammogram.
    • Women should continue to be screened for breast cancer until their health is maintained and they have a life expectancy of 10 years or more.
    • Some women who have a specific genetic predisposition, family history, or other risk factors are advised to have an MRI in addition to a mammogram when they go for their annual cancer screening. It should be noted that the percentage of women at increased risk is relatively small.

2. Prostate cancer

Studies are still underway regarding the potential benefits of prostate cancer screening versus the harm caused by prostate cancer screening and subsequent treatment. Therefore, men should talk to their doctor for recommendations on whether or not to consider screening for prostate cancer.

    • Men should talk to their doctor about prostate cancer screening after they reach the age of 50.
    • Men of African-American descent, or those who have a sibling or father with prostate cancer before age 65, should see their doctor and be screened at age 45.
    • Prostate cancer screening includes a prostate-specific antigen test, which may or may not be accompanied by a digital rectal exam. The frequency of screening generally depends on the PSA level.

3. Cervical cancer

    • Cervical cancer screening should be performed when women reach the age of 21. No screening should be considered before this age.
    • A Pap test, also known as a Pap smear, should be performed once every three years for women between the ages of 21 and 29. They must also be tested for the human papillomavirus if they have an abnormal Pap test result. If not, a test for human papillomavirus is not necessary.
    • Women between the ages of 30 and 65 should have a Pap smear and a human papillomavirus test once every five years. This is what doctors recommend. However, women between the ages of 30 and 65 may as well opt for a Pap test only, performed once every three years.
    • Women over 65 years of age who have had regular cervical cancer screening within the past 10 years and have had negative results do not need to be screened again. There is then no need to consider further screening. However, women with a history of severe precancerous cervical lesions should continue screening for at least 20 years following detection of such abnormalities, even if screening continues after age 65.
    • Even women who have undergone HPV vaccination should continue to follow the recommendations for cervical cancer screening available for the respective age groups.
    • Women who have had a total hysterectomy (removal of the uterus and cervix) for reasons other than cervical cancer, as well as those without a history of screening for precancerous lesions or a family history of cervical cancer, should not be screened for cancer.

On the other hand, the timelines for cervical cancer screening for some women who have a medical history involving organ transplantation, human immunodeficiency virus, diethylstilbestrol use, etc. may differ from the above timelines. In this case, these women should consult their physician for an appropriate schedule.

4. Lung cancer

People who are at risk of developing lung cancer should not be tested for cancer. However, people who are at high risk, such as those who smoke cigarettes, should be screened for lung cancer.

    • Lung cancer screening tests are recommended for people between the ages of 55 and 74, who are healthy, but have a smoking history of at least 30 pack-years, and have quit smoking in the past 15 years, or are still smoking.
    • A pack-year is a unit of measurement of tobacco consumption, and refers to the total number of packs of cigarettes consumed per day by a person, multiplied by the total number of years the person has smoked those cigarettes. In other words, a person who has smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for 30 years has a smoking history of 30 pack-years. This number is the same for a person who has smoked 2 packs of cigarettes per day for 15 years.
    • Lung cancer is detected by a low-dose chest CT scan (LDCT), which is performed annually.

5. Rectal and colon cancer and polyps

Men and women 50 years of age and older should be screened for colon cancer, rectal cancer, and polyps using the cancer screening tests listed below. If such tests are available, the first choice should be tests that detect both polyps and cancer in the early stages.

    • Some of the recommended tests that help screen only for cancer:
        • The fecal immunochemical test performed annually by testing several stool samples collected at home. A single test in a clinic is not enough. If the results of the test are positive, the patient must then undergo a colonoscopy. (OR)
        • The stool AND test, performed once every three years. If the results of the test are positive, the patient must then undergo a colonoscopy. (OR)
        • Testing for occult blood in the stool by guaiac test, using several stool samples collected at home. A single test in a clinic is not enough. If the results of the test are positive, the patient must then undergo a colonoscopy.
    • Some of the recommended tests that help screen for cancer and polyps:
        • A colonoscopy performed once every ten years. (OR)
        • A virtual colonoscopy or colonoscan, performed once every five years. If the results of the test are positive, the patient must then undergo a colonoscopy. (OR)
        • A double-contrast barium enema, performed once every five years. If the results of the test are positive, the patient must then undergo a colonoscopy. (OR)
        • A flexible sigmoidoscopy, performed once every five years. If the results of the test are positive, the patient must then undergo a colonoscopy.

Screening timelines for individuals who have an increased vulnerability to developing colon cancer (due to genetic predisposition, family history, or other risk factors) will be different from the above timelines. Such individuals should consult with their physician, and select a cancer screening schedule that is most appropriate for them.

6. Uterine cancer / endometrial cancer

    • Women going through menopause should consult their doctor and learn about the various risks and symptoms of endometrial cancer. Any unexplained vaginal bleeding should be reported directly to a physician.
    • Because of a family or personal medical history, some women will need to consider having an endometrial biopsy annually. Talk to your doctor about your history, and set up a schedule for screenings.

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