Liberty woman credits early cancer screening for saving her life
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Detecting cancer early can sometimes mean the difference between life and death.
The American Cancer Society says Missouri will see more than 39,000 new cancer cases in 2024; Kansas will see a little more than 16,500.
The White House has deemed April as “National Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month,” a time to honor the courage and strength of the millions of Americans facing the disease today and the millions of survivors.
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“I always say, ‘I just turn the page.’ It’s not a new normal, it’s a new chapter. I wouldn’t be here if it had not been for early detection,” cancer survivor Karen North of Liberty told FOX4. “Diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in 2014, then cervical cancer in 2015, she’s very vocal when it comes to people going in for routine screenings. “I was getting mammograms for six months for a number of years prior to when I absolutely needed to.” She’s doing good now; all of her tests come up as “no evidence of disease.”
Nurse practitioner Stephanie Korth, who works at University Health and specializes in breast health, said the earlier cancer is detected the more options you’ll have in terms of treatment.
“If you find cancer at a later stage you have a lot more risks associated. It’s usually more difficult to treat and it can also spread through your body,” she said.
She did not treat North but does help other women in the area. In terms of breast cancer, she explained that “we’re seeing a lot more people diagnosed with breast cancer in particular, and that’s because they’re finally starting to get back into their screening mammograms.”
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The American Cancer Society has a full list of screening guidelines aimed at early detection. Below are their recommendations to help guide you when you talk to your doctor about screening for certain cancers.
Breast cancer
Women ages 40 to 44 should have the choice to start annual breast cancer screening with mammograms (x-rays of the breast) if they wish to do so.
Women age 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year.
Women 55 and older should switch to mammograms every 2 years, or can continue yearly screening.
Screening should continue as long as a woman is in good health and is expected to live 10 more years or longer.
All women should be familiar with the known benefits, limitations, and potential harms linked to breast cancer screening.
Women should also know how their breasts normally look and feel and report any breast changes to a health care provider right away.
Some women – because of their family history, a genetic tendency, or certain other factors – should be screened with MRIs along with mammograms. (The number of women who fall into this category is very small.) Talk with a health care provider about your risk for breast cancer and the best screening plan for you.
Colon and rectal cancer and polyps
For people at average risk for colorectal cancer, the American Cancer Society recommends starting regular screening at age 45. This can be done either with a sensitive test that looks for signs of cancer in a person’s stool (a stool-based test), or with an exam that looks at the colon and rectum (a visual exam). Talk to your health care provider about which tests might be good options for you, and to your insurance provider about your coverage. No matter which test you choose, the most important thing is to get screened.
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If you’re in good health, you should continue regular screening through age 75.
For people ages 76 through 85, talk with your health care provider about whether continuing to get screened is right for you. When deciding, take into account your own preferences, overall health, and past screening history.
People over 85 should no longer get colorectal cancer screening.
If you choose to be screened with a test other than colonoscopy, any abnormal test result needs to be followed up with a colonoscopy.
Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer screening should start at age 25. People under age 25 should not be tested because cervical cancer is rare in this age group.
People between the ages of 25 and 65 should get a primary HPV (human papillomavirus) test* done every 5 years. If a primary HPV test is not available, a co-test (an HPV test with a Pap test) every 5 years or a Pap test every 3 years are still good options.
(*A primary HPV test is an HPV test that is done by itself for screening. The US Food and Drug Administration has approved certain tests to be primary HPV tests.)
The most important thing to remember is to get screened regularly, no matter which test you get.
People over age 65 who have had regular cervical cancer testing in the past 10 years with normal results should not be tested for cervical cancer.
Once testing is stopped, it should not be started again. Those with a history of a serious cervical pre-cancer should continue to be tested for at least 25 years after that diagnosis, even if testing goes past age 65.
People whose cervix has been removed by surgery for reasons not related to cervical cancer or serious pre-cancer should not be tested.
People who have been vaccinated against HPV should still follow the screening recommendations for their age groups.
Some individuals – because of their health history (HIV infection, organ transplant, DES exposure, etc.) – may need a different screening schedule for cervical cancer. Talk to a health care provider about your history.
Endometrial cancer
The American Cancer Society recommends that at the time of menopause, all women should be told about the risks and symptoms of endometrial cancer. Women should report any unexpected vaginal bleeding or spotting to their doctors.
Some women – because of their history – may need to consider having a yearly endometrial biopsy. Please talk with a health care provider about your history.
Lung cancer
The American Cancer Society recommends yearly screening for lung cancer with a low-dose CT (LDCT) scan for people ages 50 to 80 who:
Smoke or used to smoke
AND
Have at least a 20 pack-year history of smoking
A pack-year is equal to smoking 1 pack (or about 20 cigarettes) per day for a year. For example, a person could have a 20 pack-year history by smoking 1 pack a day for 20 years, or by smoking 2 packs a day for 10 years.
Before deciding to be screened, people should have a discussion with a healthcare professional about the purpose of screening and how it is done, as well as the benefits, limits, and possible harms of screening.
People who still smoke should be counseled about quitting and offered interventions and resources to help them.
People should not be screened if they have serious health problems that will likely limit how long they will live, or if they won’t be able to or won’t want to get treatment if lung cancer is found.
Prostate cancer
The American Cancer Society recommends that men make an informed decision with a health care provider about whether to be tested for prostate cancer.
Starting at age 50, men should talk to a health care provider about the pros and cons of testing so they can decide if testing is the right choice for them.
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If you are African American or have a father or brother who had prostate cancer before age 65, you should have this talk with a health care provider starting at age 45.
If you decide to be tested, you should get a PSA blood test with or without a rectal exam. How often you’re tested will depend on your PSA level.
