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Cancer screening recommendations

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At Sharp, we're here to help you understand what cancer screenings are needed and at what age.

Combined with a healthy lifestyle and regular self-examination, cancer screenings are an important tool in the prevention and detection of cancer. Because cancer is most treatable in its beginning stages, early detection can increase the chances of survival.

These recommendations, with the exception of lung cancer screenings, are for healthy adults with no symptoms or other risk factors. Please talk to your doctor regarding your personal medical history and risk factors to determine which screenings are right for you.

These general guidelines are based on recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the American Cancer Society, the American Academy of Family Physicians and other leading experts.

Cancer screenings we offer

Many of these screenings can be performed during a regular office visit and do not necessarily need to be done in conjunction with a history and physical exam.

Breast cancer

  • Clinical breast exam
    Initial examination should be given during a physical and alongside a discussion of your personal and family health history at age 40, and then annually depending on your risk factors. At age 70, examination should be given based on your doctor's recommendation.

  • Mammogram
    Initial examination should be given during a physical and alongside a discussion of your personal and family health history at age 40, and then annually depending on your risk factors. At age 70, mammogram should be given based on your doctor's recommendation.

Cervical cancer

  • Pap smear
    Initial examination should be given during a physical and alongside a discussion of your personal and family health history at age 21 or at the onset of sexual activity, and then every 1 to 3 years. After age 65, Pap smear should be given based on your gynecologist's recommendation.

  • Bimanual examination (ovaries and uterus)
    Initial examination should be given during a physical and alongside a discussion of your personal and family health history at age 18, and then every 1 to 3 years. At age 40, examination should be done yearly.

Colorectal cancer

Experts recommend starting screening at age 45 for people who are at average risk. Talk with your doctor about your risk factors and screening options.

  • Fecal immunochemical test (FIT)
    Stool test given after a discussion of your personal and family health history at age 45 and then yearly. Annual FIT is considered an effective and convenient screening method for patients without symptoms or risks for colorectal cancer.

  • Colonoscopy
    Diagnostic procedure that looks inside your colon completed at age 45 and then every 10 years.

Lung cancer

  • CT screening
    Initial exam should be given only if you are between the ages of 55 and 80, currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years and have a least a 30 pack-year history of smoking (a pack-year is defined as the number of cigarette packs you smoke per day multiplied by the number of years you have smoked). If you meet this criteria, talk to your doctor about getting screened.

Prostate cancer

  • Prostate examination
    Initial examination should be given during a physical and alongside a discussion of your personal and family health history at age 50, and then yearly. Depending on your risk factors, your doctor may also recommend a prostate antigen test.

What you can do

In addition to receiving the regular cancer screenings listed above, we recommend that you perform routine breast, oral cavity, skin and testicular self-examinations periodically as advised by your doctor. We also offer cancer genetic counseling if you feel you may have an inherited cancer risk.

Cancer diagnostic services

Sharp also offers a full range of state-of-the-art cancer diagnostic services including:

PET imaging

PET (positron-emission tomography) imaging is a noninvasive whole-body imaging technique that detects metabolic changes that are unobtainable by other imaging methods. It can detect several types of cancer, such as colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer, head and neck cancers (excluding CNS or thyroid), lung cancer, melanoma, single pulmonary nodules and lymphoma (Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's).

Sentinel node biopsy

The involvement of lymph nodes is one of the most significant factors that doctors use to identify the stage of a patient's breast cancer. Often, after the primary tumor is removed, breast cancer patients will undergo some type of node biopsy or lymph node dissection procedure. Until recently, the only method to identify if the lymph nodes were affected was to perform a complete lymphadenectomy — surgical removal of all associated lymph nodes.

Now sentinel node biopsy is available for some patients. In this procedure the physician injects a blue dye and a very short-lived radio-isotope marker into the patient; the dye and marker identify the "sentinel" node(s), or find the first node(s) draining the tumor in the breast area. This sentinel node can then be removed and tested by the pathologist. If this node is positive, showing signs that the cancer has spread, then the surgeon may remove the other nodes in the underarm area.

Sentinel node biopsy offers easier recovery from the lymph node removal procedure. In addition, there is a lower chance of lymphedema or other side effects.

Pathology services

The pathology team at Sharp uses the latest techniques to identify the origins of tumors to accurately diagnose and stage malignancies.

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