Screening in healthcare for the early detection of disease is a relatively new phenomenon. The first such screen was designed in the early 1920s by a researcher named George Papanicolaou, who pioneered the widely known “pap” smear technique for cervical cancer. However, it wasn’t until the early 1960s that the medical community embraced this method and began promoting it. Since then, the death rate of cervical cancer has plummeted by 70%. This same trend can be seen across other cancer types including a 40% reduction in breast cancer death rates with the introduction of mammography screening in the 1980s and a 70% reduction in colorectal cancer deaths with the introduction of colonoscopies also in the 1980s.
Since the use of screening tests for early detection began being used widely in the 70s, cancer research began redefining the meaning of “good health” and best health practices. Now, today in the United States where skin, lung, breast, and colorectal cancer are the most common cancers, the urgency of cancer screening is more important than ever.
Studies show, however, that screening is more valuable for certain cancers than others—notably, lung, breast, colorectal, and cervical cancers. For individuals prone to these certain cancers, screening may do the following:
1. Identify precancerous cells.
Certain cancers, like colorectal and cervical cancer, for instance, are slow-growing and can be identified early by precancerous growths that can change over time into cancer. In colorectal cancer, a preventative screening can identify abnormal cell growth called polyps. These polyps have the potential to develop into cancer. In cervical cancer, pap smears can identify precancerous cells that are also prone to becoming cancerous. Once identified, the removal of such precancerous growths or cells may so-to-speak, “nip” cancer in the bud before it even has a chance to develop.
2. Find cancer in its early stages.
Early detection of cancers often increases the patient’s treatment options. Nearly a third of adults in the US have not followed through with recommended cancer screening. Maintaining a routine, recommended screening is important for every adult. A portion of cancers are diagnosed between recommended cancer screening intervals, and are referred to as “interval cancers.” Thus, a candidate that is more prone to cancer (via personalized risk assessment, whether that includes family history or polygenic risk) may benefit from more frequent screenings. Cancer is more easily-treated before it has grown to big or spread.
3. Improve survival rates.
By identifying cancer in its early stages, treatments and surgery for newly-formed cancers can be more effective (depending on the type of cancer). Notably, early diagnosis of colorectal and breast cancers show a survival rate of about 90% over the first five years after diagnosis Other cancers, like prostate cancer, have a nearly 100% five-year survival rate if caught early enough.
There are many types of cancer screening measures; some are made for the “average” adult and others are made for an adult with certain risk factors. Data shows that the following are amongst the most effective early detection measures, in no particular order:
- Colonoscopy for colorectal cancer
- Low-dose helical computed tomography for lung cancer
- Mammography for breast cancer
- Pap smears for cervical cancer
Depending on an individual’s risk for cancer, healthcare providers may recommend personalized screening regimens. The current frontier of health management focuses on improving the quality of life with personalized health regimens, specifically in the at-home risk assessment space.
To get a better understanding of your risk, please talk to your healthcare provider about which screenings you may be a candidate for depending on age, sex, family history, or other risk factors. To learn more about alternative risk assessment opportunities for breast or colorectal cancer, visit https://genetype.com/.
About GeneType
At GeneType, we are committed to improving health outcomes for people around the world by providing individuals and their healthcare providers with the risk assessment tools to develop personalized health management plans for early detection and treatment of chronic disease.
Learn more about GeneType’s Risk Assessment Tests for Colorectal and Breast Cancer.
