What are the screening exams?
Breast. A screening mammogram is the best tool available to find breast cancer before symptoms appear. A mammogram is a special kind of x-ray image of the breasts. Breast cancer screening has been shown to reduce the risk of dying from this disease. The National Cancer Institute recommends that women in their forties and older have mammograms on a regular basis, every 1 to 2 years. Cervix. Doctors use the Pap test, or Pap smear, to screen for cancer of the cervix. For this test, cells are collected from the cervix. The cells are examined under a microscope to detect cancer or changes that may lead to cancer. Colon and rectum. A number of screening tests are used to find colon and rectal (colorectal) cancer. If a person is over the age of 50 years, has a family medical history of colorectal cancer, or has any other risk factors for colorectal cancer, a doctor may suggest one or more of these tests: Sometimes tumors in the colon or rectum can bleed. The fecal occult blood test checks for
