Cancer screenings: fear is the killer

Cancer screenings are one of the most important kinds of laboratory tests you can take. What’s so important about cancer screenings, you ask?

A personal cancer screening story

A favorite uncle and aunt of mine used to live overseas with my cousin James. James and his parents were a treat, if one rarely seen. They never complained, and always had a ready smile or joke. Honest people for whom every moment was a simple pleasure.

And so it was, because Aunt Mary had cancer. She never got a cancer screening; she just lived with the pain, perhaps afraid of what a cancer screening would tell her, perhaps already believing that the cancer would kill her before age 50 and devastate the family. Rather than tell her husband and get a cancer screening, she kept the disease hidden, preferring to avoid cancer treatments and enjoy the time she had.

Cancer screenings shed light

Our grief at her passing was accentuated knowing that she could’ve lived a full life with a timely cancer screening like one of the three cancer screenings offered by HealthCheckUSA. An early cancer screening would’ve allowed her to get a doctor’s diagnosis, avoid long chemotherapy and strike at the cancer pre-emptively. HealthCheckUSA really can be your best defense against disease.

The HealthCheckUSA cancer screening difference

Cancer screenings at HealthCheckUSA provide you with important advantages. They generally cost much less than the lab tests you’d order at a hospital because there are no hidden markups. A fully accredited medical reference laboratory analyzes every cancer screening result. These are the same cancer screenings ordered by physicians. However, with HealthCheckUSA cancer screenings, you control what tests you take and when.

Nothing beats the peace of mind of a HealthCheckUSA cancer screening. If you suspect you might be at risk for ovarian cancer, colon cancer or prostate cancer, order a health test at our website today.

Prostate cancer has a new nemesis in prostate cancer survivor Arnold Palmer. The foundation he created to fight the spread of prostate cancer and promote prostate cancer screening is called Arnie’s Army Battles Prostate Cancer. During Palmer’s professional golf career, where he was widely considered to be one of the greatest golfers who ever lived, his enthusiastic fans were called “Arnie’s Army.” Now Palmer has put those fans to work raising money for the Prostate Cancer Foundation. Arnie’s Army also holds charity golf events that are designed to raise awareness about prostate cancer screening and the need for early detection.

It might seem odd that a golf legend is at the forefront of the fight against prostate cancer, but as Palmer says, “In the time it takes to play a round of golf, 14 men will lose their lives to prostate cancer.” This is a death toll that could be lowered if more men took prostate cancer screenings. Perhaps the word of Arnold Palmer, a man who has won seven major golf championships, will motivate people to go out and get their prostate cancer screenings. Considering that prostate cancer is more likely to develop in men over the age 50, it’s hard to imagine a better spokesman for this demographic group than a golf legend.

According to Arnie’s Army, they’ve raised $1.3 million to fight prostate cancer with their golf competitions. They do a lot of the legwork. They provide a contest kit that includes prizes for the winners, as well as Golf Digest subscriptions and souvenirs for every participant. “Arnie’s Army Battles Prostate Cancer” says that their golf contests have taught 70,000 golfers the importance of early prostate cancer screening.

Early prostate cancer screening could include a prostate cancer test called a PSA. This stands for Prostate Specific Antigen. This screens for a protein found in the blood that is produced by the prostate. Cancer might be present if there are high levels of this protein. This prostate cancer screening might also help a doctor determine if cancer has spread through other parts of the body. It might lead to more specific prostate cancer tests, such as biopsies, which require the surgical removal of tissue. In general, men over the age of 50 should get prostate cancer screenings annually. Men who have a family history of prostate cancer might have to get prostate cancer screenings at an earlier age.

Colon cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, has predominately been tested through a colonoscopy. But detecting colon cancer could become much easier and less invasive in the near future with doctors at John Hopkins announcing that they have found a way to screen for colon cancer through a blood test. This may be a sigh of relief for many, with doctors recommending that every person over the age of 50 recieve a colonoscopy.

By analyzing the blood test results of patients with colon cancer compared to those without the disease, the researchers have been able to distinguish the results of those who have the cancer from those who do not. In their initial tests, John Hopkins researchers have been able to determine and identify pre-cancerous polyps, cancer related proteins, and cells produced by cancers as effectively as a colonoscopy. If the testing passes the next stage of the FDA approval process–expanding the testing to 500 people to confirm their findings–the blood tests could be available to the general public in as little as two years time. Researchers say that the procedure will be most effective at determining who should get a colonoscopy and who should not. Eventually, the doctors believe that a blood test could go as far as determining who has colon cancer.

The blood testing method will appeal to those who find a colonoscopy too intrusive or uncomfortable, hopefully ensuring that more people will be tested for the cancer. With the number of people over the age of 50 growing each year and the risk of developing colon cancer increasing as you age, increased testing means saved lives. These new findings are just one more reason why performing preventative health screens is a smart and easy way to ensure your future health.

HealthCheckUSA currently offers a colon cancer screening blood  test known as the fecal occult blood test, or FOBT. This colon cancer screening is recommended annually for men and women after age 50, and even earlier for people who may be at high risk for colon cancer. If you have any questions about ordering a colon cancer screening, or any other lab test, please contact us.