Medical Tests & Procedures Archive

Articles

FDA approves blood test for colorectal cancer screening

In 2024, the FDA approved a blood test called Shield as a screening method for colorectal cancer. The test detects 83% of colorectal cancers, but only 13% of precancerous polyps. The FDA approval means that now many insurance plans will pay for the test.

Is a reliable blood test for Alzheimer's disease finally here?

A study published in JAMA in July 2024 found that a blood test was accurate in diagnosing Alzheimer's disease, which causes steep declines in cognition and other aspects of health. The blood test is able to detect elevated blood levels of brain proteins that characterize the condition. While that's progress, doctors say it's not the test needed most. It would be more beneficial, they say, to have a test that accurately spots the developing disease long before it affects thinking. No such tests are here yet, but scientists are working to develop them.

Upcoming surgery? You may not need any heart tests beforehand

Getting an electrocardiogram (ECG) prior to undergoing noncardiac surgery should be the exception rather than the rule. About half of surgeries are low-risk and pose very little danger for the heart. Asking about a person's symptoms during physical activity—for example, whether they can walk up a flight of stairs without feeling winded—is a better gauge of their risk than the findings from an ECG. But presurgical ECGs make sense for older, inactive people with heart disease. The results can reveal signs of reduced blood flow to the heart or an unstable electrical heart rhythm that may require treatment before surgery.

Should I worry about abnormal Pap test results?

Abnormal Pap test results don't always indicate cervical cancer. Most abnormal findings result from the presence of human papillomavirus, or HPV. Typically, the next step is a colposcopy, a test that enables the doctor to look closely at areas that appear abnormal.

Should you try a do-it-yourself hearing test?

Online hearing tests help detect if someone has hearing loss. The tests involve answering questions or listening to a series of tones or spoken words. The tests are not as comprehensive as tests conducted by an audiologist, but they are convenient and might help identify mild, moderate, or severe hearing loss; problems hearing particular pitch ranges; or differences in hearing ability in one ear compared to the other (asymmetry). A test might need to be followed up with a visit to an audiologist.

Are you getting health care you don't need?

Just because you can get a particular test or treatment or take a supplement doesn't mean you should. One study suggests as much as 20% of all health care in the US is unneeded. Skipping unnecessary care might actually improve your health, while saving time and money.

New urine test may help identify high-grade prostate cancer

A 2024 study found that a urine test that looks for cancer genes may help identify the most serious cases of prostate cancer among men with high levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). This could help many men with high PSA levels avoid biopsies.

Beyond tobacco: Lung cancer in nonsmokers

While cigarette smoking remains the biggest cause of lung cancer, between 15% and 25% of cases globally occur in people who have never smoked. Lung cancer claims more women's lives than breast and ovarian cancer combined. Risk factors among nonsmokers include age, family history, chronic lung conditions, and exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke, radon, diesel fumes, air pollution, and asbestos. People concerned about their risks should discuss it with their doctor, reduce exposure to lung cancer contributors, and get involved in advocacy efforts.

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