At what age should I have a preventive cancer checkup?
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Loading... - Johnson Hannah
- 15 Feb 2023
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Preventive check-ups are those periodic examinations that can detect a disease before it manifests itself clinically, especially when it comes to cancer, said Dr. Mauricio León Rivera, director of the League Against Cancer, medical director of the Cancer Detection Center and surgical oncologist at the Ricardo Palma Clinic
"To detect certain types of cancer in the early stages, it is important to have periodic preventive exams, even when people are in healthy conditions," explains the specialist.
Likewise, he said that oncological discards should be performed more frequently if there is a history of cancer in the family. "It is necessary to communicate the family history to the specialist so that he can guide you at the appropriate age to start preventive tests, depending on the type of cancer," she remarked.
In this sense, he mentions that awareness should be raised regarding care and preventive measures against cancer, since a timely diagnosis can save their lives, knowing that every hour 4 Peruvians die from cancer in our country.
Preventive medical consultation against cancer
In the pediatric population, it is not necessary to perform preventive tests, unless there are symptoms, the main one being behavior change.
In the case of women of legal age, in addition to the basic exams that are indicated annually, the Pap smear is usually performed after the start of sexual relations from the age of 21 to 65, annually or the test of HPV viral detection that if negative is repeated every 5 years, in order to detect pre-malignant diseases in cervical cancer. On the other hand, after the age of 45, colonoscopies are recommended every 5 years and the annual Thevenon exam for early detection of colorectal cancer. Regarding breast cancer screening, this is recommended from the age of 40, and should be performed annually with a mammogram.
In the case of men, oncological screening tests should also be carried out every year, among them the complete blood count, blood tests and "Thevenon" in feces on an annual basis. In the same way, the PSA tumor marker test and digital rectal examination are recommended from the age of 45 in order to detect prostate cancer in time. Colonoscopies are also indicated every 5 years.
On February 4 from the year 2000, World Cancer Day is celebrated, promoted by the World Health Organization, the International Center for Research on Cancer (CIIC) and the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) with the objective of increasing awareness and mobilizing society to advance in the prevention and control of this disease. Read More…
