What tests do we really need?

Filed under: Breast Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Lung Cancer, Prevention

Wouldn't it be great if we could receive full-body scans every year to check for early signs of cancer and other disease? Even if possible and affordable -- right now, scans cost about $900 -- it still wouldn't be such a great idea.

Full-body scans often result in false alarms. People with harmless abnormalities may end up facing more tests, more risks, and more worry in order to rule out illness. The scan itself can present health hazards too. It exposes patients to more radiation than a chest X-ray and could slightly increase the risk of cancer, especially for those scanned every year.

How do we know, then, if something has gone awry in our bodies? Well, we can do our self-exams -- breast exams, testicular exams, skin exams -- and we can report for annual check-ups. We can respond to symptoms we experience -- if headaches are bothersome and persistent, your doctor may prescribe a head scan -- and we can pursue tests and screening that we really need for cancer prevention and early detection. Here are just a few:

Breast ultrasound

In addition to mammogram, women with dense breast tissue would be wise to request this test. Mammograms miss up to 50 percent of cancers in dense breasts so having both tests offers a more comprehensive check. These ultrasound exams cost between $75 and $300.

Lung scan

Those 50 and older who have smoked an equivalent of one pack of cigarettes per day for at least 10 years -- or two packs per day for five years, and so on -- should try this method for detecting lung cancer in its earliest stages. Once symptoms occur, the disease is usually so advanced that most don't live for five years. Lung scans cost $250-$350.

Transvaginal ultrasound

Women with a family history of ovarian cancer should begin receiving this test 10 years before the earliest age a relative developed the disease. Ovarian cancer cannot be detected during a routine OB/GYN exam so most patients go undiagnosed until the cancer is advanced and deadly. If caught before it spreads, the survival rate is 85 percent, in contrast to 25 percent for late diagnoses. The transvaginal ultrasound has a high rate of false positives and is advised only for those at special risk.

Source: Good Housekeeping, May 2007

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[Source: The Cancer Blog]