Staying Healthy

Top screenings to avoid cancer

Talk to your doctor to nail down your cancer risk, and check this list to see which tests may help save your life.

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 Images: Monkey Business Images/Thinkstock

Recommendations for cancer screenings sometimes change, and it can be confusing about which tests you need and when. "It's best to talk to your doctor about your cancer risk factors and family history, learn which screenings are right for you, and then develop and stick to a screening schedule," says Dr. JoAnn Manson, chief of preventive medicine at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Routine screenings

Other screening tests

Some screenings are not recommended routinely but may be important based on your cancer risk.

Lung cancer. The American Lung Association recommends low-dose computed tomography to detect early signs of lung cancer for heavy smokers ages 55 to 74 who have a 30 pack-year smoking history (equivalent to one pack per day for 30 years) and who have smoked within the past 15 years. The USPSTF extends the screening age to 80. If you're not in this group, you should not have routine screening; the risk from radiation exposure and potential unnecessary follow-up testing is not worth the small chance of benefit.

Skin cancer. The USPSTF says there's not enough evidence to recommend regular visual skin exams by a doctor to screen for skin cancer, and that screenings increase the risk for unnecessary biopsies, overdiagnosis, and overtreatment. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests that all people conduct skin self-exams and report any unusual spots on their skin to a dermatologist.

People with an increased risk for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, should talk to a dermatologist about how often they should get a skin exam.

What about a PSA test?

l1216f16207254881075One of the most debated screenings is the blood test used to look for prostate cancer in men. It measures the level of a protein in the blood called prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which can rise when prostate cancer develops. In 2012, the USPSTF recommended against routine PSA tests, saying they raise the risk of unnecessary follow-up testing and treatment, which can cause problems such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

Recent evidence shows that fewer men are being screened as a result. "The sentiment among many physicians now is against offering routine PSA testing for men, especially when nearly every study has not shown any tangible benefits for those who have undergone testing and treatment," says oncologist Dr. Marc Garnick, editor in chief of Harvard's Annual Report on Prostate Diseases.

The American Cancer Society suggests that men 50 or older (at average risk for prostate cancer) make the decision about screening with their doctor, but only if they have a life expectancy of at least 10 years, and only if they have been advised about the uncertainties, risks, and potential benefits of prostate cancer screening.

 

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