Cancer Screenings in my lifetime

By bearang
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    Cancer screenings in my life time

  • Cancer-related check-ups

    Starting at the age of 20, women can go to the doctor and get screenings for many different cancers depending on their risks. Possible cancer screenings to get would be thryoid, oral cavity, skin, lymph nodes, and ovaries.

  • Clinical Breast Exams/ Breast Self-Exam

    A clinical breast exam is an exam performed by the doctor to check for lumps or other adnormalities. Women should get clinical breast exams done every three years while they are in their 20's and 30's. Once they turn 40, clinical breast exams need to start occuring every year.
    The age of 20 is also a good time to start self breast exams. This is the same thing as a clinical breast exam except it is the woman checking her ownself for lumps or abnormalities.

  • Pap Smear test

    Women should start getting Pap Smear tests at the age of 21. This test should occur every 3 years for women ages 21-29. The pap smear test is used to diagnose cervical cancer by collecting cells from the cervix which is the lower part of the uterus.

  • Pap Smear test + HPV test

    Starting at the age of 30-65, women should get the pap smear test plus the HPV test every 5 years. After the age of 65, no testing is needed unless there were problems before that age.

  • Mammogram

    A mammorgram is an x-ray that allows doctors to examine the breast tissue to detect any abnormalities. During the exam, the breasts are exposed to ionizing radiation, just like a normal x-ray.
    Yearly mammograms should start at the age 40. Clinical Breast exams can also start becoming yearly for 40 year olds. During theses mammograms, if there is a history of breast cancer in the family or a possible genetic disorder, the doctor may also issue an MRI to enusre nothing is abnormal.

  • Colonoscopy

    Starting at the age of 50, women should start to get checked for polyps in their colon. Flexible sigmoidoscopies should start and be preformed every five years. A regular colonosopy should be preformed every ten years as well. Women (as well as men) should both get a double- contrast bariumenema as well as a CTcolongraphy. If abnormalities are found, yearly fecal occult blood tests and yearly fetal immunochemical tests may be required.

  • Endometrial (uterine) cancer

    At the time of menopause, women should start to be screened by endometrial (uterine) cancer. Women with a family history of cancer may need a screening every year.