Medicine has made available to us various possibilities to prevent or diagnose various types of tumors in time. This happens both through preventive examinations that each of us carries out, and through screening examinations. These tests are conducted on a large segment of the population in order to identify a disease or its precursors before symptoms manifest themselves openly. Unfortunately, not all cancers currently have screening tests available. It is therefore important to know which tests to perform and when, among those available.
Here are the 3 essential cancer screenings to do after returning from vacation
There are three main screenings that everyone should undergo. Usually, the National Health System gives everyone the opportunity to perform them for free. Of these screenings, the first we are going to examine concerns both men and women, while the other two are specific for women.
The first screening is for colorectal cancer. It is carried out after the age of fifty and consists in the search for occult blood in the faeces. Stool occult blood testing consists of looking for traces of blood in the stool that are not visible to the naked eye through a small sample. The examination is absolutely painless since the special spatula is passed over the stool and then inserted into an appropriate container. The container is taken to one of the authorized analysis laboratories. This is the main test to direct towards a diagnosis of colorectal cancer. In case of suspicion, a colonoscopy is carried out.
The second and fundamental screening that all women should undergo is that for the prevention of breast cancer. Breast cancer ranks first for spread and death in women.
Mammography
Breast cancer screening, according to the indications of the Italian Ministry of Health, is aimed at women between the ages of 50 and 69 and provides for free mammography every two years. If successful, the woman must perform a second mammogram, an ultrasound and a clinical examination to confirm the actual presence of a tumor. All this before proceeding with the treatment which involves, in almost all cases, a surgical intervention to remove the diseased tissues.
The third screening is for cervical cancer, which in 99 percent of cases is caused by papilloma virus infection. The reference test for women between the ages of 30 and 65 is the HPV test, to be repeated every 5 years. While for women between 25 and 29 years, the Pap test remains to be carried out every 3 years. For both Pap smears and HPV it is a painless collection of a sample of cells from the cervix. The collected material is then fixed on a slide and sent to the laboratory to evaluate the presence of abnormal cells.
Why participate in screenings
Participating in screenings is an act of responsibility and love for ourselves and our loved ones. In this way we can prepare ourselves to face a peaceful and healthy old age between our affections and our interests. It doesn’t take much to really love yourself. We have seen which are the 3 essential cancer screenings to do after returning from vacation, thanks to which we can enjoy good health for a long time.