What is screening?
Screening is the process of identifying individuals with problems related to alcohol and/or substance use who may lack symptoms. Screening is conducted through interview or self-report and is used to determine the appropriate course of action, given the client’s needs and characteristics, and the available resources in the community.
Sometimes, cancer can be found before the disease causes symptoms. Checking for cancer (or for conditions that may lead to cancer) in a person who does not have any symptoms of the disease is called screening. In routine physical exams, the doctor looks for anything unusual and feels for any lumps or growths. Specific screening tests, such as lab tests, x-rays, or other procedures, are used routinely for only a few types of cancer.