Cancer Prevention and Screening

Types of Cancer Screening

Screening tests can help find cancer at an early stage, before symptoms appear. When abnormal tissue or cancer is found early, it may be easier to treat or cure. By the time symptoms appear, the cancer may have grown and spread. This can make the cancer harder to treat or cure.

Breast Cancer

Mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat.

Colorectal (Colon) Cancer

Several screening tests have been shown to reduce the risk of dying from colorectal cancer. Colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy not only detect colorectal cancer early but also help prevent the disease in the first place. That's because these tests can find abnormal colon growths (polyps) that can be removed before they become cancer.

Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in America,  Lung cancer can go undiagnosed for a long time because symptoms usually do not appear until the cancer is spread. If lung cancer is caught before it spreads, the liklihood of surviving 5 years or more improves to 63%.* Therfore, early detection is important! If you are over 50 and have a smoking history, you are at high risk and you may be eligible for lung cancer screenig

*Based on early-stage lung cancer stats (stage 1 vs. stage 4)

Learn more about lung cancer screening.

Cervical Cancer

Pap test and human papillomavirus (HPV) tests, which can be used both alone and in combination, can lead to both early detection and prevention of cervical cancer. They prevent the disease because they allow abnormal cells to be found and treated before they become cancer. Testing is generally recommended to begin at age 21 and to end at age 65 in women who have had adequate prior screening and are not otherwise at high risk for cervical cancer.