CANCER SCREENING AND SCREENING HEALTH PACKAGES
Cancer screening aims to detect cancer before symptoms appear. This may involve blood tests, urine tests, other diagnostic procedures, or medical imaging. The benefits of screening — including cancer prevention, early detection, and effective treatment — must always be weighed against potential risks or harms.
How Do You Get Tested for Cancer?
Examples of blood tests commonly used to help diagnose cancer include:
- Complete Blood Count (CBC) — measures the levels of various types of blood cells in a blood sample.
- Blood Protein Testing — identifies abnormal proteins often linked to certain cancers.
- Tumor Marker Tests — detects chemicals produced by cancer cells in the blood.
- Circulating Tumor Cell Tests — identifies cancer cells that are moving through the bloodstream.
Learn more: Cancer blood tests – Lab tests used in cancer (Mayo Clinic)
What is a Screening Test?
Screening tests are laboratory tests that help identify people with an increased risk of developing a condition or disease — often before they have symptoms or even realize they may be at risk. These tests allow preventive measures or early treatment to be taken, making them a vital part of preventive health care.
Learn more: What are Screening Tests? – Lab Tests Online
How Do You Know if You Have Cancer?
Many cancers can be detected through physical changes in the body, often felt through the skin. These include cancers in the breast, testicles, lymph nodes (glands), and soft tissues. The presence of a lump or thickening may be an early or late sign of cancer and should be promptly reported to a doctor, especially if it is newly discovered or growing in size.
Signs and Symptoms of Cancer
Learn more: Signs and Symptoms of Cancer – American Cancer Society
Screening Tests That Have Been Shown to Reduce Cancer Deaths
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Colonoscopy, Sigmoidoscopy, and High-Sensitivity Fecal Occult Blood Tests (FOBTS) — proven to reduce deaths from colorectal cancer. Colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy also help prevent colorectal cancer by detecting and removing polyps before they turn cancerous.
Recommended for people at average risk between ages 50 and 75.
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Low-Dose Helical Computed Tomography (CT) — shown to reduce lung cancer deaths among heavy smokers ages 55 to 74.
See the National Lung Screening Trial and PDQ® Lung Cancer Screening summary for more details.
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Mammography — reduces mortality from breast cancer among women ages 40 to 74, especially those over 50.
See the Mammograms fact sheet and PDQ® Breast Cancer Screening summary for more information.
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Pap Test and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Testing — reduce cervical cancer incidence and deaths by detecting abnormal cells early.
Generally recommended from age 21 through 65, provided recent results are normal.
Other Screening Tests
- Alpha-Fetoprotein Blood Test — sometimes used with liver ultrasound to detect liver cancer early in high-risk individuals.See the PDQ® Liver (Hepatocellular) Cancer Screening summary for details.
- Breast MRI — used for women with harmful BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, who face a high risk of breast and other cancers.See the BRCA1/BRCA2 fact sheet and PDQ® Breast Cancer Screening summary.
- CA-125 Test — a blood test often combined with transvaginal ultrasound to try to detect ovarian cancer early, especially in high-risk women.Useful in diagnosis and monitoring recurrence, but not effective for routine ovarian cancer screening.
- Clinical Breast Exams & Self-Exams — not proven to reduce breast cancer deaths, but any new lump or change should be checked promptly.See the PDQ® Breast Cancer Screening summary.
- PSA Test — blood test for prostate cancer, often with digital rectal exam. No longer recommended for routine use due to overdiagnosis and overtreatment.See the PSA Test fact sheet and PDQ® Prostate Cancer Screening summary.
- Skin Exams — recommended for at-risk individuals. Not proven to reduce mortality but useful for identifying suspicious changes (e.g., new or changing moles).See the Common Moles, Dysplastic Nevi, and Melanoma Risk fact sheet.
- Transvaginal Ultrasound — used for women at high risk of ovarian or endometrial cancer (e.g., BRCA mutation or Lynch syndrome).Not shown to reduce deaths. See the PDQ® Ovarian and Endometrial Cancer Screening summaries.
- Virtual Colonoscopy — examines colon and rectum from outside the body.Not shown to reduce colorectal cancer deaths. See the Tests to Detect Colorectal Cancer fact sheet.
Types of Cancer Screening
- Breast Cancer Screening
- Colon Cancer Screening
- Cervical Cancer Screening
- Lung Cancer Screening
- Pancreatic Cancer Screening
- Nasopharyngeal Cancer Screening
- Thyroid Cancer Screening
- Liver Cancer Screening
- Prostate Cancer Screening
- Skin Cancer Screening
- Endometrial Cancer
- Ovarian Cancer Screening
Cancer Screening Packages
Burjeel Hospitals, VPS Healthcare – Basic Cancer Screening (ABCS) One-Day Package
This is a basic screening package recommended for adults (men and women) who would like to screen themselves for certain common malignancies.
- Haemogram — Hemoglobin, RBC, Total WBC, PCV, MCV, MCH, MCHC, Differential Count, ESR, Platelet Count
- Stool occult blood
- X-ray chest
- Ultrasonogram of the abdomen
- PSA (for men)
- Mammography (for women)
- ENT checkup
- Oncologist consult (for men)
- Gynecology consult (for women)
For advanced cancer screening, kindly follow the protocols above.