Screening

• Cancer screening tests are aimed to detect cancer at early stage, even before signs and symptoms develop
• Detecting cancer at early stage may have a better treatment outcome
• Regular screenings are encouraged to reduce your cancer risk, especially the high risk population
• Ask your doctor about your screening plan based on your cancer risk factors

Screening tests are cancer-specific. Below are some examples of screening tests for each cancer:

• Breast cancer:
  • Mammogram
  • Ultrasound
• Cervical cancer:
  • Pap smear / test
  • Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing
• Colorectal cancer:
  • Fecal occult blood test (FOBT)
  • Colonoscopy
• Lung cancer:
  • Low-dose computed tomography (CT) scan
• Prostate cancer:
  • Digital rectal examination (DRE)
  • Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test

Risk of cancer screening:

Although screening tests are crucial to detect cancer earlier, however, there are also some risks associated with it.

• Additional testing
  • Undertake screening tests that are not necessary, of which can be invasive, costly and unnecessarily stressful and worrying.
• False-positive results
  • Test results that show a person has cancer when it is not
• False-negative results
  • Test results that show a person does not have cancer when it is.
• Overdiagnosis
  • Test results that found slow-growing cancer that would not have harmed during a person’s lifetime.

Source:

• https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/screening
• https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/prevention/screening.htm
• https://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/prevention-and-healthy-living/cancer-screening