Preventive Cancer Care

  

Millions of people around the world die from cancer every year. However, it is not an incurable disease. 

Cancer, if caught early, can be successfully treated, which is also a fraction of the cost of aggressive treatments.

 One way to find cancer early  is to have regular screening tests. Most forms of screening can detect cancer  before a patient notices symptoms. 

Regular screening tests  can help detect breast, colon, cervical, and lung cancers. People over the age of 20 should have regular screenings for cancers of the oral cavity, skin, thyroid, ovaries, and lymph nodes.  

 Breast cancer  Breast cancer often presents with symptoms such as a lump in the breast, a change in the shape of the breast, a depression in the skin, or swollen lymph nodes. A mammogram can detect lumps in the breast  even before they are palpated. 

In addition, mammograms can also detect ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), which can become invasive cancer in some women. 

Women over  40 should have a mammogram every 1 or 2 years. Women under the age of 40 with risk factors for breast cancer should have regular checkups.  

Cervical cancer  Cervical cancer occurs when there is an abnormal growth of cells in the cervix. The most common cause of cervical cancer is  the presence of the HPV virus. 

Opt for regular HPV testing that can detect the HPV virus in its early stages. Generally, girls and women between the ages of 11 and 26 should get the HPV vaccine. Along with the HPV test, the PVP test can also detect abnormal cells that can become cancerous.

 Health professionals generally recommend that women over the age of 30 get tested for HPV and PVP  every 3 years.   Colorectal cancer  Colorectal cancer usually develops from precancerous polyps (abnormal growths) in the colon or rectum. Precancerous polyps can be detected with screening tests.

 If such polyps are found, they can be surgically removed before becoming cancerous. Doctors usually recommend starting screening when a person turns 50. In addition, the FOBT test, stool DNA test, sigmoidoscopy, virtual colonoscopy, and standard colonoscopy are other approved colorectal cancer screening tests.  

Lung cancer  Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Indian men. Smokers have a higher risk of developing lung cancer, although it can also occur in people who have never smoked.

 Heavy smokers (1 pack per day) or current smokers or have quit within the past 15 years have a higher risk of  lung cancer. 

Currently, low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) is the only recommended lung cancer screening test. 

Doctors recommend that people at high risk for lung cancer and those between the ages of 55 and 80 get lung cancer screenings every year.