Starting at 40 years old, women should have the option to begin annual mammography, or breast cancer screening
Women ages 45 to 54 should get their mammogram every year
Women ages 55 and older have the option to switch to a mammogram every other year
Screenings should continue as long as you're in good health and have at least 10 years of life expectancy
Women at high risk or are unsure of their risk should talk to their doctor about when screening should begin for them
Guidelines
Test or procedure
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the second most frequent type of cancer behind skin cancer. Most women are at an average risk of developing breast cancer, meaning a lifetime risk of less than 15%.
CANCER SCREENINGS Guidelines
SOURCE: Food Poisoning Symptoms | CDC
A mammogram is an x-ray image of the breasts and is the most common screening procedure
More advanced imaging (like an MRI) may be recommended for women at higher risk
At age 50, men of average risk with good life expectancy (>10 years) should have a conversation with their primary care doctor about the benefits and risks of screening for prostate cancer
Black men and those with a close relative diagnosed with prostate cancer before age 65 should have this discussion at age 45
Men at even higher risk, meaning those with more than one first-degree relative diagnosed at an early age and those who carry BRCA gene mutations, should have this discussion beginning at 40
About 1 in 8 men will develop prostate cancer in their life, but no major medical organization presently endorses routine prostate screening for average risk men. The reason: overdiagnosis issues. Also, the 10-year survival rate for all stages of known prostate cancer, without routine screening, is a combined 98%.
Guidelines
Test or procedure
Prostate Cancer
Are 50 to 80 years old (Medicare does not cover this screening for people over 77)
Smoked the equivalent of one pack of cigarettes per day for 20 years (two packs daily for 10 years, half pack daily for 40 years, etc.)
Currently smoke or have quit, regardless of when
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in U.S., but the most important — and modifiable — risk factor is cigarette smoking. In fact, it's the only other factor that qualifies you for lung cancer screening besides age. However, thanks to reductions in smoking and increases in screening, both the number of new cases and lung cancer-related deaths are decreasing.
Guidelines
Test or procedure
Lung Cancer
A colonoscopy allows doctors to view your colon using a thin tube and tiny camera. It's recommended every 10 years.
A flexible sigmoidoscopy is like a partial colonoscopy that allows doctors to view only the lower part of the colon. This procedure's recommended every five years and is easier and quicker than a colonoscopy and can be done with or without sedation.
A CT colonography takes a 3D x-ray of the entire colon and is recommended every five years
Stool tests check for blood or abnormal DNA markers that may signify the presence of a colorectal cancer — they're recommended every one to three years
Everyone 45 and older should get screened for colorectal cancer
People in good health and with good life expectancy (>10 years) should continue colorectal cancer screening through age 75
Anyone 76 to 84 and older should have a discussion with their doctor whether to continue screening
People over 85 should no longer get screened for colorectal cancer
Approximately 1 in 23 men and 1 in 25 women will develop colorectal cancer in their lifetime — significantly less than breast or prostate cancer. Due to increased screening, overall mortality rates have declined, but both new cases and deaths among younger people have steadily increased.
Guidelines
Test or procedure
Colorectal Cancer
An HPV DNA test every five years is now the preferred screening for cervical cancer over a pap test
The pap test is an acceptable alternative to an HPV test and can be done every 3 years
Women and people with a cervix 25 to 65 years old should get screened. Vaccination status does not matter
Anyone over 65 may discontinue screening if the last 10 years' results were negative, with the most recent test within the past five years. If not, they should continue screening
Individuals without a cervix (total hysterectomy) and without a history of cervical cancer, cervical precancer or a more serious diagnosis in the past 25 years may discontinue screening
Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by persistent infections of human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is very common — 90% of men and 80% of women at some point will contract HPV. Most HPV infections resolve on their own, but persistent types that become chronic are what can lead to cancer.
Guidelines
Test or procedure
Cervical Cancer
A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is a simple blood test that checks for a protein produced by the prostate gland. This may be done with or without a rectal exam
A low-dose CT scan (a more-detailed, 3D version of an x-ray) is recommended yearly