EARLY DETECTION AND SCREENING
1.Breast self- examination
Monthly
Regular: The best time to do a monthly self-breast
exam is about 3 to 5 days after your period starts.
Do it at the same time every month. Your breasts
are not as tender or lumpy at this time in your
monthly cycle.
Irregular: If you no longer have a period, pick a
certain day—such as the first day of each month—
to remind yourself to do BSE.
Menopause: same day each month.
2.Mammography
Yearly Starting: Women ages 40 to 44 should have
the choice to start annual breast cancer screening
with mammograms (x-rays of the breast) if they
wish to do so. Women age 45 to 54 should get
mammograms every year. Women 55 and older
should switch to mammograms every 2 years, or
can continue yearly screening
Preparation:
 Tell your doctor or the technician if you're
pregnant or think that you could be.
 Eat and take your medication as usual.
 Don't use body powder, cream, deodorant,
or lotion on your chest the day of the test.
They may interfere with the X-rays.
 You'll need to take off all clothes above
your waist and put on a gown. It's a good
idea to wear a two-piece outfit and to skip
any jewelry.
3. Pap Smear
Sexually Active: All sexually active women are at
risk for contracting HPV and should get a Pap smear
at least every three years. The test doesn't detect
other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It can
6. Sigmoidoscopy/Colonoscopy
For: are screening tests to look for colorectal cancer.
The difference between the two tests is the part of
the colon they allow the doctor to see. A
sigmoidoscopy is less invasive, because it only looks
at the lower part of your colon.
Starting:
This test uses a thin, flexible tube with a light and
camera on one end. Your doctor places this end in
the anus. Then they push it gently up through the
rectum into the lower colon. They can see inside the
colon through a small scope on the tube or on a
video monitor.
Preparation:
 When you arrive for your sigmoidoscopy,
you will change into a hospital gown.
 The doctor will ask you to lie on your side
on an exam table.
 They will put a sheet over your body so
everything is covered except the test area.
 Then, the doctor will gently place the small,
thin tube in your rectum.
 They will use the tube to blow some air into
your colon.
 The air blows it up a bit so it is easier to see
through the scope.
 You might feel bloated or like you need to
go to the bathroom.
 Next, the doctor will gently push the tube
up through your rectum into your lower
colon.
Position:
 The left lateral (Sims) position
Watch out for:
 Continued bleeding after biopsy.
 Inflammation of the lining of your belly
(peritonitis)
 A perforation (hole) in your intestinal wall,
which is a rare complication.
7. CT Scan
 A computed tomography (CT or CAT) scan
allows doctors to see inside your body. It
uses a combination of X-rays and a
computer to create pictures of your organs,
bones, and other tissues. It shows more
detail than a regular X-ray.
 They use a narrow X-ray beam that circles
around one part of your body. This
provides a series of images from many
different angles. A computer uses this
information to create a cross-sectional
picture. Like one piece in a loaf of bread,
this two-dimensional (2D) scan shows a
“slice” of the inside of your body.
8. MRI
Remove:
 implants or devices
occasionally detect cell growth that indicates other
cancers, but it shouldn't be relied on for that
purpose.
Routine: Pap testing every three years for women
ages 21 to 65. Women age 30 and older can
consider Pap testing every five years if the
procedure is combined with testing for HPV.
4. Testicular Self- Exam
During and after a warm shower
1. Stand in front of the mirror
2. Support testicle with 1 hand and feel each
with other hand
Normal:
 The testicles should feel smooth, without
any lumps or bumps, and firm but not hard.
You may feel a soft tube at the back of each
testicle, which is called the epididymis.
Abnormal:
 A small, hard lump (often about the size of
a pea) is felt on the surface of the testicle,
or the testicle is swollen.
 remove all metallic objects from pockets
and hair, as well as metallic jewelry.
 Purse, wallet, money clip, credit cards,
cards with magnetic strips
 Electronic devices such as beepers, cell
phones, smartphones and tablets
 Hearing aids
 Metallic jewelry and watches
 Pens, paper clips, keys, coins
 Hair barrettes, hairpins, hair clips and some
hair ointments
 Shoes, belt buckles, safety pins
 Any article of clothing that has metallic
fibers or threads, metallic zippers, buttons,
snaps, hooks, or underwire
If claustrophobic:
 Ask questions beforehand. The more
educated and informed you are on the
specifics of the test, the less likely you are
to be surprised by something.
 Listen to music. If the exam allows, ask
about listening to music.
 Cover your eyes.
 Breathe and meditate.
 Ask for a blanket.
 Stretch beforehand.
 Take medication.
Contraindication:
 Metallic implants.
 Claustrophobia.
 Pacemakers, although new protocols allow
imaging in selected cases.
 MR-incompatible prosthetic heart valves.
 Contrast allergy.
 Body weight (MRI tables have specific
weight limitations)
9. Bone Marrow Exam
Site:
The bone marrow fluid (aspirate) and tissue sample
(biopsy) are usually collected from the top ridge of
the back of a hipbone (posterior iliac crest).
Preparation:
 What to eat. You can usually eat or drink
normally before the test. Ask your health
care team ahead of time to make sure.
 Topics to talk about with your health care
team. You may not be able to take certain
medications, such as blood thinners, before
your procedure. Tell your health care team
about all medications and supplements you
take. Ask whether you should take them on
your procedure day. You should also bring
up any test concerns you have.
 Insurance and cost. Before your
appointment, contact your insurance
provider. Find out how much of the

5. Digital Rectal Examination
Check: examines a person's lower rectum, pelvis,
and lower belly. This test can help your doctor
check for cancer and other health problems,
including: Prostate cancer in men. An abnormal
mass in the anus or rectum.
Position: The easiest for the examiner is to have the
patient tuck the knees up to the chest, either in the
dorsal lithotomy position or the lateral recumbent
position.
Sign of Prostate Cancer:
During the DRE, a doctor inserts a lubricated,
gloved finger into the patient's rectum to feel for
lumps, enlargements, or areas of hardness that
might indicate prostate cancer. The procedure lasts
for less than minute and, while uncomfortable,
should cause no pain.
procedure’s costs it will cover and ask how
much you will have to pay.
 Consent. The doctor's office or hospital will
ask you to sign a consent form when you
arrive for the procedure. This form states
that you understand the procedure’s
benefits and risks. The form also states that
you agree to the procedure. If you have
concerns about the procedure, talk with
your doctor before you sign.
Watch out for :
 Fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit/38.3
degrees Celsius or higher
 Bleeding that does not stop easily
 Unusual discharge or severe pain at the
needle insertion site
 Any other signs or symptoms of infection
10. Oncofetal Antigen
Normal during: embryogenesis and may increase
with certain cancers, making them potentially
useful tumor markers
Present in during fetal development but are found
in adults with certain kinds of cancer.
Example:
AFP
alpha-fetoprotein, which is produced by
hepatocellular carcinoma and some germ cell
tumors
CEA
carcinoembryonic antigen, which is elevated in
people with colon cancer and other tumors