Early Detection: Your Secret Weapon Against Cancer
This year, about 1.7 million people in the U.S. will find out they have cancer. But the good news is that cancer screenings and the right treatment will help nine out of 10 of them survive breast, cervical and colorectal cancer.
Here’s what you need to know about how health screenings can find cancer early.
One in every eight women will get breast cancer. Women 50 to 74 years old should get a breast exam, called a mammogram, every two years. A regular exam can help detect tumors and other signs of the disease that are hard to find.
Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the U.S. Men and women between 50 and 75 years of age have the highest risk of colorectal cancer. Getting a colonoscopy every 10 years is the best way to find and treat it. You also can use an at-home FIT kit stool test, but it should be done every year.
Cervical cancer is best treated if it’s found early. If you’re a woman 21 to 64 years old, you should get a Pap screen, which tests for cervical cancer. During that exam, you can get tested for the HPV virus, which also can cause the disease.
- You should be screened for HPV every three years if you’re between 21 and 29 years of age or if you don’t get tested for HPV during your Pap exam.
- If you’re over 30 years of age, you should get an HPV screening and a Pap exam every five years.
Call us at (888) 499-9303 to find out which cancer screenings you need.