What Cancer Screening Tests Do I Need (Top 5 Cancer Tests)

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Table of Contents:

A - Intro - Preventive Medicine Approach (Medicine 2.0 vs Medicine 3.0)

Today we will focus on the top five cancer screenings that are recommended by expert groups that provide practice guidelines for doctors

now whether you decide to complete these screenings now or at a more opportune time, it is important to be aware of the recommendations so that you can take charge of your health.

note that one of the main objectives of annual physical exams is to really catch up with this routine health maintenance

so if you're delaying your physicals you may not be aware of what screening tests you maybe do for

also note that these are merely guidelines which may be modified depending on the risk factors of a person so it's always best to seek your doctor's input

number one prostate cancer

the prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men aside from skin cancer

advanced age is the strongest risk factor with 80 percent of those with prostate cancer being over the age of 65.

family history is another risk factor however

and african americans who also have a higher incidence and mortality rate from prostate cancer

interestingly there's recently been a suggested link also between a high fat diet and prostate cancer

now the prostate specific antigen or psa you may have heard this term is a simple blood test used to screen for prostate cancer but false positive tests biopsy complications and over diagnosis make the test somewhat of a controversial one

the screening recommendation has evolved over the years but the current recommendation is to decide on an individual basis for men aged 55 to 69 whether or not to get routinely screened so you and your doctor can make that joint decision together

for men ages 70 or higher harms of screening have generally been shown to outweigh the benefits

number two breast cancer
now the various expert groups don't currently agree on when to first initiate screening in women in their 40s nor is there like a clear cut consensus on the frequency of mammograms for breast cancer screening in all women

this makes it a little more complicated when providing patient recommendations i know

the dispute is primarily due to the risk of false positive results and unnecessary biopsies and then of course the emotional impact on the distress that abnormal mammogram screenings may cause

furthermore the treatment for breast cancer has also advanced significantly through the years yielding increased survival and it's controversial whether or not more frequent screenings like we've been doing would provide improved survival we don't know

for instance the american cancer society recommends that mammogram screenings begin at age 45 and then continue annually until the age of 55 at which that point then they may decrease their frequency to every one to two years

but the united states preventative services task force another expert group recommends that for average risk women in their 40s the decision to start screening should really be an individualized one based on personal preference and a discussion with your doctor

note however that women with a first degree relative with breast cancer such as like a parent or sibling may be considered more than average risk and thus they may benefit from more frequent screenings in their 40s

for the average risk woman in the 50s mammograms are generally recommended every one to two years by the united states preventative service task force until reaching age 75.

for those age 75 or higher the uspstf reports that there is not enough evidence to assess the benefits versus harms of screening and the decision can also be an individual one

but the acs recommends to individualize the decision based on the patient's current health and life expectancy

so to summarize until there's a consensus reached by various expert groups seeking your doctor's input and combining it with your own personal preferences can help guide you on when to initiate screenings in the 40s and whether to complete the screenings every one year or every two years thereafter

number three cervical cancer
for the average healthy female a pap smear to screen for cancer of the cervix is recommended every three years beginning at age 21 until age 29.

if you haven't had a pap smear and you don't know what it is or you want more information about it i have reviewed it in a previous video

then for women aged 30 and above a pap smear along with a human papilloma virus hpv co-testing every five years is recommended

this hpv test is typically included in the pap smear at most doctor's offices but to be certain it would be wise to inquire otherwise without the co-test pap smears would still be recommended every three years instead of five in this age 30 and higher group

now cervical cancer screening can cease for most low-risk women at age 65 who have had adequate prior cervical cancer screening throughout their life

number four colorectal cancer
an update to this recommendation is also in progress but new data shows that more adults are being diagnosed earlier with colon cancer in their 40s and that we may actually benefit from earlier colorectal cancer screenings

the proposed new age for initiation of screening is 45 but until this change is finalized i mean most doctors are currently still recommending colonoscopies beginning at age 50 for most people until reaching the age of 75 for the average risk adult

for those aged 76 to 85 the decision to screen is deemed an individual one after considering your overall health and previous screening history those who are healthy enough to be able to sustain colon cancer treatment if detected and have a greater life expectancy can decide to continue screening in this age group

frequency of screenings depends on findings on the test but a completely normal colonoscopy typically denotes a repeat in 10 years

yippee and

number five lung cancer lung cancer
is the leading cause of death from cancer in american men
besides cigarette smoking other risk factors include second-hand smoke family history of lung cancer chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or copd which an example of is like emphysema radon exposure asbestosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

there is an updated recommendation and progress for lung cancer screening currently so the recommendations may also soon change but the current recommendation is an annual low dosed chest cat scan

for smokers that are between the ages of 55 and 80 with the 30 pack year history which is measured by multiplying the number of packs smoked per day by the number of years the person has smoked fyi who still smoke or who have quit within the last 15 years only

screening can cease once the patients have stopped smoking for 15 years or if they develop a medical problem that greatly limits their life expectancy or their ability to undergo lung cancer treatment if it's discovered

all right i know that was a lot hopefully this quick review has answered at least some of your most pressing questions regarding what is due at what age when it comes to the top cancer screenings if you're unclear or you have questions regarding what other preventative measures you may require like vaccines or blood work osteoporosis screening etc checking in with your doctor is a worthwhile effort

X- List of cancers screening methods

Y- List of cancers mentioned