Screening tests are used to find cancer in people who have no symptoms. Screening increases the chances of finding certain cancers early, when they are small, have not spread, and might be easier to treat.
You might be getting to, or you might be at, the age when you need to start screening. You might even be overdue for your screening tests because of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, many elective medical procedures, including screening tests, were put on hold, and this led to fewer people getting screened for cancer.
As you think about starting your screenings or getting your screening tests back on track, here are some questions you can ask your doctor:
These are examples to help you come up with your own questions about starting or returning to regular cancer screening as soon as possible. At the same time, it’s important to remember that if you have signs or symptoms of cancer, or if you have additional risk factors that put you in a high-risk group, you should talk to your doctor or a health provider as soon as possible.
The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team
Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as journalists, editors, and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.
Last Revised: April 21, 2021
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