Take adult health checks seriously

As we begin a new year I would like to discuss several important potentially lifesaving health issues for adults.
Women need Pap Smears to detect cancer of the cervix, which effects up to 12,000 women a year in the U.S. Women aged 21-29 should have a Pap test done every 3 years. Women 30-65 years should have a Pap test and an HPV test every 5 years. These are general recommendations that seem to change with time. Talk to your provider about what guidelines he or she would like to use.
Women also need to examine their breasts to detect breast cancer, which is the second leading cause of death in women, effecting almost 300,000 women annually. Self breast exams should be done monthly, beginning about age 20. Talk to your doctor about how to check your breasts and have him or her check your breasts every 1-2 years. Also, mammogram recommendations seem to keep changing so I would recommend following your doctor’s advice as to what age to begin, how often to have it done, and how long to continue.
Men need to be concerned about prostate cancer. This disease effects up to 235,000 men yearly and is fatal to 28,000. There is an old saying in medicine that if a man lives long enough he will develop prostate cancer. Be aware that older men, Afro-American men, and men with a family history of prostate cancer are at a higher risk. Discuss with your doctor as to when screening with a PSA blood test and digital rectal exam should be begin and how often it need be done.
Lastly, both men and women need to be screened for colon cancer, another leading cause of death. About 150,000 cases are reported per year. Colon cancer is rarely seen before age 40. Colonoscopy has become exceedingly popular as the recommended diagnostic tool for the detection of colon cancer and is recommended to be done beginning at age 50 and repeated every 7-10 years.
All the above recommendations have been general guidelines. If you have a family history of a particular disease or other known risk factors, consult with your doctor. I know that the thought of undergoing these exams can be very unappealing to most people, but I have seen many lives saved by those who are willing to follow these precautionary steps.