The NSMC Cancer Center advocates for regular screening for cancer.

Pap smears, breast exams, skin tests, mammograms and colonoscopies are just a few of the exams that women should have done regularly. Men should be screened for colon, prostate and testicular cancers using colonoscopies, blood tests and testicular and prostate exams.

Skin Cancer Screening

Both men and women should be aware of the risk of skin cancer and have their primary care physician or dermatologist monitor suspicious moles or skin lesions.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists provides the following guidelines for cancer screenings for women. Individual screening guidelines vary according to your personal health history or risk factors. For additional information, contact a primary care physician, family practice physician or obstetrician/gynecologist affiliated with NSMC.

Clinical Breast Exam:
Annually beginning at age 19

Colon Cancer Screening:
Beginning at age 50, yearly fecal occult blood testing plus flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years or colonoscopy every 10 years or double contrast barium enema (DCBE) every 5 to 10 years, with digital rectal examination performed at the time of each screening sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, or DCBE.

Mammography:
Every one to two years for women ages 40 to 49 and annually beginning at age 50. Women are encouraged to perform monthly breast self-exams.

Pap Test:
All women who are or have been sexually active or who have reached age 18 should have an annual Pap test and pelvic examination. After a woman has had three or more consecutive, satisfactory annual exams with normal findings, the Pap test may be performed less frequently in a low-risk woman at the discretion of the woman and her physician. More frequent Pap tests may be required for a woman with high-risk factors (including multiple sex partners, STDs, alcohol and drug abuse, or a history of cervical, vaginal, or vulvar cancer).

Aetna’s InteliHealth web site, which features content from Harvard Medical School’s consumer health info, provides the following guidelines for men’s cancer screenings. Individual screening guidelines vary according to your personal health history or risk factors. For additional information, contact a primary care physician or family practice physician  affiliated with NSMC.

Prostate cancer screening

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in men. However, screening for early stages of prostate cancer remains controversial. Men who are older than 50 and younger men with a family history of prostate cancer should discuss the risks and benefits of screening with their doctor. The best tests for prostate cancer include the digital rectal exam and prostate-specific antigen blood test.

Colon cancer screening

Colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in men. All men (and women) older than 50 should be screened regularly for colon cancer. Younger men with a family history of colon cancer should also be screened. Unfortunately, less than one-half of all Americans receive regular screenings. There is some controversy about the best way to screen for colon cancer. Some doctors recommend that all individuals undergo colonoscopy, whereas other doctors feel that fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) or sigmoidoscopy (or a combination of the two) is a good alternative. Be sure to discuss these options with your doctor.

Testicular exam
A testicular exam is performed to screen for cancer of the testicles.