The Simple Tests That Could Help Save Your Life

It you aren't getting regular screenings, it may be time to start.

Author: Leslie Toldo

You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who wants to think about cancer, much less get a diagnosis.  However, thinking about cancer now could improve your odds of survival if you have the disease.  Regular screenings can literally make a life-or-death difference.  Early detection is one of the most powerful cancer weapons our clinical experts have in their arsenal.

“Catching cancer early is critical to survival. Screening is something we should all keep in mind. Cancer is not just an older person’s disease. There are many cancers, including colorectal and breast, that are showing up in younger patients. This is why it is so important to have the cancer screening conversation with your primary care doctor,” said Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Flint medical oncologist Dr. Vatsala Katragadda.

Screening schedules vary by the type of cancer and are often related to your age and other risk factors.

Cervical Cancer

The latest American Cancer Society (ACS) guidelines call for women between 25 and 65 to be screened either:

• With a Papanicolaou (Pap) test every 3 years, or
• With a primary Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) test every 5 years, or
• With an HPV and Pap co-test every 5 years.

HPV is the virus believed responsible for the majority of cervical cancer cases. The ACS recommends even those who have had the HPV vaccine get routine screening.  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines call for kids to get vaccinated by 11 or 12.  Adults may also be HPV vaccine candidates, depending on their risk factors, which should be discussed with their doctor.

Breast Cancer

The American College of Radiology issued new breast cancer guidelines in 2023. One big change- the ACR now recommends women, particularly Black and Ashkenazi Jewish women, have a breast cancer risk assessment by the time they are 25, to determine at what age they should begin screening.

Among the ACR guidelines:

• Women of average risk should begin annual mammograms at 40.
• Women with genetic risk factors, a lifetime risk of 20 percent of more, or who were exposed to chest radiation at an early age should have MRI starting between 25 and 40 and should start annual mammography between 25 and 40.
• High-risk women who want supplemental screening but cannot have MRI should consider contrast-enhanced mammography.

Talk with your doctor about your risk.  You do not need a physician referral for a routine (screening) mammogram.  To schedule one near you, click  here

Colorectal Cancer

Screening for colorectal cancer with a colonoscopy could potentially prevent cancer, because during the procedure, a surgeon can remove polyps before they become cancerous.  The United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends a colonoscopy every ten years for adults 45 to 75 at average risk.  An annual stool-sample test may be another option for those at average risk.

People at higher risk for colon cancer, like those with genetic risk factors, a family history, or inflammatory bowel disease should talk with their doctors about possibly having starting colonoscopies at an earlier age.

Prostate Cancer

Men should talk with their doctor and weigh out the risks and benefits of prostate cancer screening.  The ACS recommends having that discussion:

• Starting at age 50, if they are at average risk.
• At age 45 if they are at high risk. This includes African American men, and those who have a father or brother who was diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age.
• At age 40 if they have more than one first-degree relative diagnosed at an early age.

After discussing it with their doctor, men who want to screen should have a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.  A digital rectal exam may also be necessary.

Lung Cancer

A lot of people are unaware that there is an annual lung cancer screening available.  Smokers and even former smokers are, by far, at the greatest risk for lung cancer.  The screening is a simple, low dose computed tomography (LDCT). The USPSTF recommends the annual CT scan for adults 50 to 80 who are current smokers or who have quit within the last 15 years, who have smoked the equivalent of a pack a day for at least 20 years. 

McLaren Flint has a lung nodule program, for more information, click here.