Cancer The Silent Disease!

If you’re a woman, visits to your physician for your yearly exam need to go beyond check of weight and cholesterol screenings as you age. The longer you live, the more susceptible you become to diseases and conditions that may have been prevented—or perhaps treated to improve the quality of life—if only common health screenings had be done. So, which tests do you need, and when? Let’s take a look at the top six must-have women’s health tests . . .

Which tests do women need and when? Follow these guidelines.

Blood sugar test. Pre-diabetes and type-2 diabetes have arrived at near-epidemic levels in America, and those with high insulin levels may be more likely to develop urinary tract, skin, and pancreatic cancer, even if they don’t have diabetes. Starting at age 45—or earlier, if there is a family history of diabetes or if you are overweight—a fasting glucose test should be completed and retake the test every three years after that.

Colonoscopy. Almost 150,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colon cancer this year—and one-third of them will unfortunately from the disease.  On a positive note, when the colon cancer is caught in the early stages, the survival rate is very high. The standard screening for colon cancer is a colonoscop, a technique in which a long, lighted tube is gently inserted into the colon to help your doctor find abnormal clusters of cells before they have a chance to turn cancerous. Current guidelines require colonoscopies be done every ten years beginning at the age of fifty. If you have risk factors—a history of colon cancer in your family, for example—your doctor may want to start testing you sooner.

Full-body skin exam. If you don’t already have a dermatologist, add one to your list of specialists and schedule regular annual exams. Your dermatologist should check your entire body for any visible signs of skin cancer. It’s also a good idea to stand unclothed in front of a mirror in a well-lit room and check your body on a monthly basis.

Mammograms. The American Cancer Society recommends yearly mammograms starting at age 40 to detect the possibility of breast cancer. Earlier exams may be a good idea if you have a family history of breast or other types of cancer.

Pap smears and HPV tests. It is recommended that women get a Pap smear at their gynecologist’s office yearly before age thirty to find cervical cancer. From that time forward, if three normal tests are given in a row, the Pap smear should then be done every two to three years.

Pelvic exam. Your ob-gyn should be doing a pelvic exam at your annual or biannual check-up, but an appointment should be made right away if you’re experiencing any pelvic pain, vaginal spotting or bleeding, extreme bloating, or an uncontrollable and frequent need to urinate for more than a couple of weeks.

Don’t delay! By making sure you’re getting the appropriate exams and tests, you can possibly prevent a deadly condition later down the road.