Encourage patients to get these recommended cancer screenings

Cancer screening offers the best chance to find cancer as early as possible and achieve the best treatment outcome. Screening can identify abnormal changes on imaging studies or pre-cancerous cellular changes. And when detected early, cancer is, as you know, more easily treated.

The following provides an overview of American Cancer Society-recommended screenings for common cancers.

When is cervical cancer screening recommended?

• All women should begin cervical cancer screening at age 21. Women aged 21 to 29 should have a Pap test every three years. HPV screening isn’t used in this age group unless it’s a follow-up to an abnormal Pap test.
• Women aged 30 to 65 should be screened with a Pap test combined with an HPV test every five years, but a Pap test alone can be done every three years.

When is a mammogram recommended?

• Women aged 40 to 44 should have the choice to start annual breast cancer screening with mammograms if they want to.
• Women aged 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year.
• Women 55 and older should switch to mammograms every two years or can continue yearly screening if desired.
• Regular screening should continue if a woman is in good health and is expected to live 10 more years or longer.

Note: Based on the patient’s family history or other clinical risk factors, different age ranges may be indicated.

When is colon and rectal screening recommended?

• Start regular screening for colorectal cancer at age 45 with either a sensitive test (fecal-based test) or with a colonoscopy (visual exam via colonoscope).
• People aged 76 to 85 should talk with their health care provider to see if screening is right for them.
• People older than 85 should no longer get colorectal screening. However, if non-colonoscopy test results are abnormal, a follow-up colonoscopy is indicated.

When is prostate screening recommended?

• Men at average risk for prostate cancer should begin screening at age 50.
• Men with more than one first-degree relative who had prostate cancer at an early age should start screenings at 40.
• Men at high risk for prostate cancer should begin screenings at 45. High-risk men include:
  • African-Americans
  • Men who had a father, brother, son or other first-degree relative diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age, which is younger than 65.

For more information on cancer screening, visit the American Cancer Society website.**

**Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan doesn't own or control this website.