Breast Cancer
Yearly mammograms starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health.

Clinical breast exams should be part of a periodic health exam, about every three years for women in their 20s and 30s and every year for women 40 and over.

Women should report any breast change promptly to their health care providers. Breast self-exam is an option for women starting in their 20s.

Women at increased risk (e.g., family history, genetic tendency, past breast cancer ) should talk with their doctors about the benefits and limitations of starting mammography screening earlier, having additional tests (e.g., breast ultrasound or MRI), or having more frequent exams.

Colon & Rectal Cancer
Beginning at age 50, both men and women at average risk for developing colorectal cancer should follow one of these five testing schedules :

• Yearly fecal occult blood test (FOBT) or fecal immunochemical test (FIT) (For FOBT, the take-home multiple sample method should be used)
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years
• Yearly FOBT or FIT plus flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years (**The combination of yearly FOBT or FIT plus flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years is preferred over either of these options alone. )
• Double-contrast barium enema every five years
• Colonoscopy every 10 years

All positive tests should be followed up with colonoscopy.

People should begin colorectal cancer screening earlier and/or undergo screening more often if they have any of the following colorectal cancer risk factors :

• Personal history of colorectal cancer or adenomatous polyps
• Strong family history of colorectal cancer or polyps a personal history of chronic inflammatory bowel disease.
• Family history of a hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome (familial adenomatous polyposis or hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer)

Cervical Cancer
All women should begin cervical cancer screening about three years after they begin having vaginal intercourse, but no later than when they are 21 years old. Screening should be done every year with the regular Pap test or every two years using the newer liquid-based Pap test.

Beginning at age 30, women who have had three normal Pap test results in a row may get screened every two to three years with either the conventional (regular) or liquid-based Pap test. Women who have certain risk factors such as diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposure before birth, HIV infection,or a weakened immune system due to organ transplant, chemotherapy, or chronic steroid use should continue to be screened annually.

Another reasonable option for women over 30 is to get screened every three years (but not more frequently) with either the conventional or liquid-based Pap test, plus the HPV DNA test.

Women 70 years of age or older who have had three or more normal Pap tests in a row and no abnormal Pap test results in the last 10 years may choose to stop having cervical cancer screening. Women with a history of cervical cancer, DES exposure before birth, HIV infection or a weakened immune system should continue to have screening as long as they are in good health.

Women who have had a total hysterectomy (removal of the uterus and cervix) may also choose to stop having cervical cancer screening, unless the surgery was done as a treatment for cervical cancer or precancer. Women who have had a hysterectomy without removal of the cervix should continue to follow the guidelines above.

Endometrial (Uterine) Cancer
The American Cancer Society recommends that all women should be informed about the risks and symptoms of endometrial cancer, and strongly encouraged to report any unexpected bleeding or spotting to their doctors.

For women with or at high risk for hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer, annual screening should be offered for endometrial cancer with endometrial biopsy beginning at age 35.

Prostate Cancer
Both the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and digital rectal examination are important annually, beginning at age 50, for men who have at least a 10-year life expectancy.

Men at high risk should begin testing at age 45. Men at even higher risk, due to multiple first-degree relatives affected at an early age, could begin testing at age 40.

Depending on the results of this initial test, no further testing might be needed until age 45.