Cancer location Screening test or procedure
Recommendation
Colon/rectum Fecal occult blood test
(looks for hidden
blood in stool).
OR
Yearly, starting at age 50.*
Fecal immunochemical test
(similar to a
fecal occult blood test).
OR
Yearly, starting at age 50.*
Flexible sigmoidoscopy
(uses a thin,
lighted tube to examine the rectum and
lower colon).
OR
Every five years, starting at age 50.*
Double-contrast barium enema
(an X-ray
taken after liquid is pumped into the colon).
OR
Every five years, starting at age 50.*
Virtual colonoscopy
(a type of CT scan).
OR
Every five years, starting at age 50.*
Colonoscopy (
similar to sigmoidoscopy,
but examines the entire colon).
Every 10 years, starting at age 50.
* If the test is positive, colonoscopy is advised.
Type of cancer
Screening test or procedure
Recommendation
Prostate
PSA test
(looks for a substance in the
blood that may indicate the presence of
cancer).
Men should discuss the pros and cons of screening with
their physician starting at age 50 (or age 45 for African
American men or those who have a father or brother
with prostate cancer diagnosed before age 65). If they
decide to be tested, they should have a PSA test with
or without a digital rectal exam. Frequency of future
screening depends on PSA results.
Digital rectal exam
(physician feels the
prostate by inserting a gloved, lubricated
finger into the rectum).
U
nknown cancers are sometimes the most dangerous cancers. That’s why screening tests are
so important. They can help you find cancer early, when it is easiest to treat—and before you
ever have symptoms. In some cases, screening can even find precancerous conditions that
can be treated, preventing cancer from developing. Following are general screening guidelines from
the American Cancer Society. Your individual cancer risk factors may make it important for you to be
screened earlier, more frequently or with additional screening tests. It’s best to talk with your physi-
cian about which tests are right for you and when.
M E N O N LY
WO M E N O N LY
WO M E N A N D M E N
phytochemicals—natural substances that
may help prevent cell damage. They pro-
vide vitamins and minerals that can help
strengthen the immune system and are
good sources of fiber as well. Fiber helps
move food waste through your digestive
systemmore quickly, limiting the time po-
tentially harmful substances are in contact
with your colon.
What you can do:
Become a label
reader, and go easy on foods high in fat
and calories and those known to raise
cancer risk. Make plant-based foods a
bigger part of every meal—a good rule of
thumb is that they should cover two-thirds
of your plate.
What you can do for your kids:
Dine
together, and model healthy eating. And
be sure to keep ready-to-eat fruits and veg-
gies around as snacks, rather than candy
or cookies.
You can involve your kids in meal
planning, grocery shopping and food prepa-
ration too. Kids may be more likely to eat
foods with which they have some connec-
tion. Along those lines, growing a vegetable
garden can be a beneficial family activity.
Another important step is to let chil-
dren select what and how much they
eat from the healthful choices you offer,
the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
reports.
Also, encourage kids
to eat slowly and to stop
when they’re full. This
will help them avoid
overeating.
On the
lookout
for
cancer
4
GET REGULAR EXERCISE.
Physical
activity helps prevent weight gain and
may keep hormones at healthy levels.
It also strengthens the immune system.
Both moderate-intensity exercise, like
a brisk walk, and vigorous-intensity exer-
cise, which increases heart rate, breathing
rate and sweating, offer benefits.
What you can do:
Try to get at least
minutes of moderate-intensity ex-
ercise, minutes of vigorous exercise
or some combination of the two each
week. And aim to do strength training
twice a week.
If you haven’t been very active, it’s
good to check with your physician first.
Start slowly and gradually increase your
time, intensity and frequency.
What you can do for your kids:
Kids
should get at least one hour of moderate-
or vigorous-intensity activity every day.
Vigorous activity is recommended at least
three days a week.
To help get your children moving:
●
Limit their TV and computer time.
The AAP recommends no more than two
hours per day—and no screen time for
kids younger than years old.
●
Encourage your kids to play sports.
●
Plan active birthday parties and fam-
ily vacations.
YOU HAVE POWER
We can’t prevent
every case of cancer. But we can lower
our risk for the disease—and help our
children learn habits that will lead to a
healthier future.
Cancer location Screening test or procedure
Recommendation
Breast
Breast self-exam.
Optional, starting at age 20. (Whether self-exams are
done or not, women should become aware of how their
breasts normally look and feel and promptly report any
changes.)
Clinical breast exam (an exam by a health
care provider).
Every three years, starting at age 20. Yearly, starting at
age 40.
Mammogram (an X-ray of the breast).
Yearly, starting at age 40.
Cervix
Pap test
(Cells are removed from the cer-
vix and examined under a microscope).
Every three years, starting at age 21 through age 29.
HPV test
(Similar to a Pap test. Checks
for signs of a virus that causes cervical
cancer).
Every five years in conjunction with Pap test, starting
at age 30, and continuing until age 65. May be recom-
mended in younger women if Pap test is abnormal.
Women who have had a total hysterectomy for reasons
unrelated to cancer and those older than 65 who have
been screened regularly and had no abnormal test re-
sults may discontinue screening. Those with a history of
serious cervical precancers should continue to be tested
for at least 20 years after that diagnosis.
F A L L 2 0 1 3
5
H E A L T H Y
C O M M U N I T Y
