2020 PPP magazine

Page 18 2020 Paint the Paper Pink Lincoln Daily News October 2020 Women with a history of a serious cervical pre-cancer should continue testing for 25 years after that diagnosis. Colon Cancer Testing All people at average risk should start testing at age 45, so talk to your health care provider if you haven’t started yet. There are several testing options. Talk with a health care provider about which tests are best for you and how often testing should be done. Lung Cancer Testing If you are age 55 or older, talk to a health care provider about your smoking history and whether you should get yearly low-dose CT scans to screen for early lung cancer. Screening may benefit if you are an active or former smoker (quit within the past 15 years), have no signs of lung cancer, and have a 30 pack-year smoking history. (A pack-year is 1 pack of cigarettes per day per year. One pack per day for 30 years or 2 packs per day for 15 years would both be 30 pack-years.) You should discuss the benefits, limitations, risks, and potential costs of screening with a health care provider before testing is done. You also should find out how much the test will cost – not all health insurances cover it. Men Colon Cancer Testing All people at average risk should start testing at age 45, so talk to your health care provider if you haven’t started yet. There are several testing options. Talk with a health care provider about which tests are best for you and how often testing should be done. Prostate Cancer Testing Starting at age 50, all men at average risk should talk with a health care provider about the uncertainties, risks, and potential benefits of testing so they can decide if they want to be tested. Lung Cancer Testing If you are age 55 or older, talk to a health care provider about your smoking history and whether you should get yearly low-dose CT scans to screen for early lung cancer. Screening may benefit if you are an active or former smoker (quit within the past 15 years), have no signs of lung cancer, and have a 30 pack-year smoking history. (A pack-year is 1 pack of cigarettes per day per year. One pack per day for 30 years or 2 packs per day for 15 years would both be 30 pack-years.) You should discuss the benefits, limitations, risks, and potential costs of screening with a health care provider before testing is done. You also should find out how much the test will cost – not all health insurances cover it. [American Cancer Society]