March 11, 2024
Reducing your cancer risk starts with early detection. Screening tests can identify cancer at an early stage, often before symptoms appear, making treatment easier and more effective.
Importance of Early Detection: 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, making it harder to treat. Early detection increases the chances of successful treatment with fewer complications.
Five Essential Cancer Screenings:
- Colon Cancer:
- Test: Colonoscopy
- Description: A colonoscopy allows your doctor to inspect the inner lining of your large intestine (rectum and colon) using a thin, flexible tube called a colonoscope. This test helps find ulcers, polyps, tumors, and areas of inflammation or bleeding. During the procedure, tissue samples can be collected, and abnormal growths can be removed.
- Skin Cancer:
- Test: Skin Cancer Screening
- Description: A visual inspection of your skin by a medical professional. The physician may examine all skin areas, including those not typically exposed to the sun, such as creases beneath the hips, around the genitals, and behind the ears. If an area looks abnormal, a biopsy is usually performed to check for cancer cells.
- Breast Cancer:
- Test: Mammography
- Description: A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast and is the best way to find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat and before it is big enough to feel or cause symptoms.
- Prostate Cancer:
- Test: PSA Test
- Description: A blood test used primarily to screen for prostate cancer by measuring the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in your blood. PSA is a protein produced by both cancerous and noncancerous tissue in the prostate. The results are reported as nanograms of PSA per milliliter (ng/mL) of blood.
- Cervical Cancer:
- Test: Pap Test (Pap Smear)
- Description: A test of a sample of cells taken from a woman’s cervix or vagina during a pelvic exam. It looks for changes in the cells and is the best tool to detect precancerous conditions and small tumors that may lead to cervical cancer.
Please reach out to us for more information on the Pacific Cancer Institute and the conditions we treat.