Dartmouth Cancer Center leads the charge in cancer prevention and early detection
Some people feel helpless just imagining the word cancer, but you know you can take your health into your own hands. And you’re right: routine screenings are easy and could end up saving your life.
Did you know that 50 percent of all cancer cases are preventable? That’s why it’s crucial to know your risk factors, be mindful of your lifestyle as it pertains to those risks and get regular cancer screenings, especially for the most common types of cancer: lung, breast, colon and skin.
Almost as important as early diagnosis is where you go to get these screenings and treatments. Experience and expertise count. Dartmouth Cancer Center is one of only 53 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the U.S. At Dartmouth, clinicians and researchers develop new methods, insights, clinical trials and cutting-edge cancer treatments for patients in a coordinated care environment that treats the whole person, aligning services beyond cancer care.
This integrated approach is a key reason why Dartmouth Cancer Center has been recognized as a leader in the field when it comes to patient experience. Earlier this year, the center was named a 2022 Press Ganey Human Experience Pinnacle of Excellence award winner. Patients consistently rank Dartmouth Cancer Center in the top 98th percentile, nationally, in terms of overall patient experience.
“Dartmouth Cancer Center is a leader in the development of interdisciplinary new knowledge that’s going to directly benefit cancer patients everywhere,” says Steven D. Leach, MD, Director of Dartmouth Cancer Center. “I look forward to that being known and recognized worldwide.”
In short, hope starts here.
Lung cancer is the second most common form of cancer — and it s still the deadliest. Yet the cure rate for lung cancer caught in its early stages is greater than 80 percent.
Incredibly, of all types of cancer, lung is by far the least screened for. According to the National Institutes of Health, only 5 percent of eligible patients are screened for lung cancer, as opposed to 76 percent for breast cancer and 67 percent for colorectal cancer.
Lung Cancer
Screening saves lives. Lung cancer is a treatable and curable condition. We can get the best results when we diagnose it early. We have a whole team to take care of you if you get an early diagnosis.
-Rian M. Hasson, MD, Thoracic Surgeon
You should consider getting a lung cancer screening if you are:
Between the ages of 50 and 80.
Currently smoking or quit within the last 15 years.
Have smoked 20 pack years or more. (A pack year is a way to measure the amount a person has smoked over a period by multiplying the number of years you smoked by how many packs of cigarettes you smoked per day.)
Also ask your provider about your risk for lung cancer if any of the following apply to you:
You’ve been exposed to secondhand smoke, radon, asbestos, or other inhaled cancer-causing agents in the workplace.
You have a family history of lung cancer.
You have smoked cigars or pipes.
Do you know your personal risk factors for lung cancer?
Take our risk assessment quiz now to learn more.
Lung cancer: What’s your risk?
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American cisgender women and people who were assigned to female at birth, and these Americans get breast cancer more than any other form except skin cancer.
While breast awareness is vital in the battle against breast cancer, it’s also crucial to seek professional screening via clinical breast exams and especially high-quality screening mammograms. The latter have been shown to reduce deaths among women ages 40 to 74 — especially those between 50 and 69.
Dartmouth offers state-of-the-art technologies for early breast cancer detection including screening mammograms that use low-dose X-rays to reveal cancer in breast tissue. The Dartmouth Cancer Center’s Comprehensive Breast Care Program recommends regular screening mammograms starting at age 40 to 50, depending on your personal family history. Talk to your provider about what is right for you.
Breast Cancer
Do you know your personal risk factors for breast cancer?
Take our risk assessment quiz now to learn more.
Breast cancer: What’s your risk?
Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. — but it is also one of the most preventable.
“It is one of the only cancers for which prevention is possible,” says Lynn F. Butterly, MD, at Dartmouth Cancer Center. “Not just catching it early but actually preventing an individual from ever getting the cancer at all.”
Due to an increase in occurrences of colorectal cancer in younger patients, the American Cancer Society recently changed its recommendations to start screening from age 50 to age 45 for people of average risk. People with a family history of colorectal cancer in one or more close relatives usually start screening for colorectal cancer at age 40 or 10 years younger than the age of the family member at diagnosis of the colorectal cancer, whichever comes first. There are other conditions that may increase your risk and change the age at which to begin screening; talking to your primary care provider will clarify which test is the best one for you, and when to begin.
Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer is one of the only cancers for which prevention is possible… Not just catching it early but actually preventing an individual from ever getting it at all.
-Lynn F. Butterly, MD
Do you know your personal risk factors for colon cancer?
Take our risk assessment quiz now to learn more.
Colon cancer: What’s your risk?
While most people associate skin cancer with sunbathing and beaches, Vermont has the second highest rate of skin cancer in the U.S. and New Hampshire is in the top five.
Even people who don’t seek out the sun’s rays or spend a lot of time outdoors need to be mindful of skin cancer. People of all ages need to watch their skin for changes that might point to a larger problem. If you are taking medications that suppress your immune system (for example — organ transplant patients), that will also increase your risk of skin cancer.
In general, you should tell your doctor about any moles or birthmarks that have changed in appearances, size, or texture. Screening is also important for anyone with a family history of skin cancer.
The most important step in cancer detection, prevention and treatment is to talk to your medical provider about your family history and current lifestyles and to get these crucial regular screenings. Take our quiz to learn more about how your lifestyle and genetic factors may impact your health.
Skin Cancer
Do you know your personal risk factors for skin cancer?
Take our risk assessment quiz now to learn more.
Skin cancer: What’s your risk?
If you have questions or think it might be your time to get a cancer screening, contact the experts at Dartmouth Cancer Center. No one wants to talk about cancer — but doing so could save your life.
