Do you know that cancer is one of the most common causes of death worldwide after dying from heart related causes like heart attack and heart failure? This includes breast cancer being the most common type of cancer among women and colorectal in men. Other than these, lung cancer, thyroid cancer and pancreatic cancer are among the list as well. It is extremely vital to get yourself screened via cancer screening malaysia especially if you fall under the high risk group.
Continue reading the article to know more about how to get tested for cancer?
Different types of cancers are screened using different approaches and tools by the surgeon or a physician. You will be first evaluated from a thorough history taken by your doctor. This will include questions like having any particular symptoms and signs, constitutional symptoms such as loss of weight, loss of appetite and having intermittent fever. A detailed history on your risk factors will be evaluated. Some examples of risk factors include, a positive family history of cancer, dietary intake and occupation.
After a thorough history taking, a concise and specific physical examination such as the breast examination, neck examination and digital rectal examination will be conducted to narrow down the diagnosis for the next most important step which is screening.
Screening for cancers can vary according to the type of cancer. Here are some examples of screening tests commonly done in clinical practice. Do bear in mind that these tests can vary from regions and profile of patients which is based on your history and physical examination.
- Breast cancer : Breast self examination is an easy method to get yourself checked for any suspicious lump at your breast which could possibly be a breast cancer. Apart from that, mammography or ultrasound are choices of imaging studies preferred to screen breast cancer in high risk groups after a certain age which depends on the region or country you are currently staying.
- Thyroid cancer : A series of thyroid function tests will be first conducted to decide on the status of cancer, next an ultrasound will be one to look at your thyroid gland clearer. This is usually done for patients with enlarged thyroid glands to rule out malignancy.
- Colorectal cancer : Screening tests for colorectal cancer totally depends on the risk group you are in. For the low risk group, immunochemical occult blood test is the test of choice while colonoscopy is often conducted for those from high risk groups such as positive family history of colon cancer or related diseases.
- Prostate cancer : A digital rectal examination is first done to evaluate the prostate gland and a blood test for tumor marker (PSA) is carried out to look for any gross abnormalities.
Above are just some examples of common tests done to identify cancer. They are often done in any clinics or hospital and also available in online clinics or hospitals. Do get a doctor when you think you need to be tested. When do you need to get tested? Keep reading.
When to get tested for cancer?
Generally, there are currently 3 levels of health prevention namely the primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. These are applicable for all kinds of chronic diseases including cancer. Screening tests for identifying cancers are known as secondary prevention which is suitable for those with risks of getting cancer and currently with no manifestations. It is extremely important to identify these risks early to get tested and get yourself diagnosed in early stages for better treatment options and prognosis.
Do read up on your country’s disease prevention guideline to know more on the options available for cancer screening and when exactly to do them.
