What is a screening test?

Screening test is for someone who has no signs of being sick. The test checks to see if you might have a certain disease such as cancer. A disease can usually be treated better the earlier it is found.
 
What are some common screening tests for cancer?

Pap smears are used to test for cervical cancer in women. Mammograms test for breast cancer. Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) tests check for prostate cancer. Colon cancer can be found using colonoscopy.  There aren’t any excellent screening tests for lung cancer or ovarian cancer as yet. 

When should I stop getting screened?

Sometimes tests do more harm than good. Screening tests get more risky and more uncomfortable as one gets older. For example, in older patients, there is a chance that the bowel could tear during a colonoscopy test. This is quite rare, however. The tests can also be expensive and inconvenient. 

Screening tests sometimes give a “false-positive” result. This is when a test result says that you have a disease when you really don’t. False-positive results can make you worry when you don’t need to. They can also lead to more tests that you don’t need and that may be riskier than the first tests. You should get screened when: 

• The risk of disease is high
• You would want to be treated if the test found the disease
• Early treatment would probably make you better and help you live longer with less disease

How do I know if I should stop getting screened?

Talk to your doctor about why you should or should not get screened for cancer or other problems. You should discuss your medical history, family history, overall health, and personal choices before you make a decision. 

Where can I get more information?

Again, your family physician would be the place to start. The American Academy of Family Physicians has an excellent website at http://familydoctor.org. The American Cancer Society’s website is http://www.cancer.org.

Dr. Peterson is a doctor of Family and Community Medicine at the Walter L. Aument Family Health Center, 317 S. Chestnut St., Quarryville.