Screening for these four diseases could save your life
Many people postponed cancer screenings during the COVID-19 outbreak out of fear of getting the virus. However, the number of COVID-19 vaccinations is rising, and medical facilities have taken action to reduce coronavirus exposure and protect patients. Important cancer tests should not be postponed due to the potential for catastrophic outcomes.
Early cancer detection by screening makes it easier to treat and cure the disease. Cancers may already be more advanced when a person first experiences symptoms, making treatment more difficult. It’s time to make an appointment if you’ve put off a vital screening. What you need to know about screenings for four of the most prevalent malignancies is provided here.
- Breast –
Type of Test:
Mammogram
When to Get It:
Women should begin annual screenings between the ages of 40 and 44; between the ages of 45 and 54, mammograms should be done annually; and between the ages of 55 and 64, annual screening may be switched to every other year or continued. Beginning at age 30, women who are at high risk for breast cancer due to factors including a family history should get a mammogram every year. Women with a certain gene mutation (BRCA1 or BRCA2) or who underwent chest radiation treatment between the ages of 13 and 30 are included in this.
- Colorectal –
Type of Test:
Colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, CT colonography
When To Get It:
Regular screening should begin at age 45 and last until age 75 for individuals. If you have inflammatory bowel illness or a family history of colorectal cancer, you should discuss getting screened sooner with your doctor. Depending on the kind of screening method you select, the testing frequency will change. If you are 76 years old, discuss with your doctor whether you should continue screening based on your general health and previous screening experiences; if you are beyond 85, you shouldn’t require colorectal cancer screening any longer.
- Lung –
Type of Test:
Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scan
When to Get It:
A yearly LDCT scan for lung cancer in smokers aged 50 to 80 who smoke now or who have stopped within the previous 15 years, and who have smoked at least 20 packs per year in the past. A 20 pack-year history could signify that you smoked one pack per day for 20 years or two packs per day for 10 years (a pack year is the number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day multiplied by the number of years you smoked). According to studies, LDCT scans for those with a higher risk of lung cancer are more effective in saving lives than X-ray checks.
Prostate –
Type of Test:
A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test with or without a digital rectal exam
When to Get It:
The majority of prostate tumours are slow-growing and may frequently be watched by a doctor, but aggressive kinds can be fatal and necessitate treatment. Start discussing routine prostate cancer screening with your doctor at the age of 50, and work together to determine the best time and frequency. Start having these discussions at 45, or 40 if more than one close family member in your family developed prostate cancer at a young age. This is especially important if you are African American or have a history of the disease in your family.
Your risk profile, general health, family history, age, PSA test results and trends, and the relative advantages and dangers of treatment should all be taken into account when making decisions about ongoing screening. Consult Dr. Donald babu for any related query about cancer.