The Power of 癌症 Screenings

作者：Emi Yoshida， MD
放射肿瘤学家

As care providers, our goal is to do everything in our power to give each of our patients an upper hand – to ensure that they are provided with the highest level of care and to increase their chances of positive 治疗结果. For our patients, screenings are that upper hand.

Screenings are the best way for physicians to identify signs of trouble and to react to them as quickly as possible. 在最好的情况下，是放映 allow for early intervention and preventive treatments. 甚至当 they detect cancer, early detection gives cancer patients a much wider scope of treatment options that have the potential to drastically 改善他们的结果.

早期发现至关重要

Screenings are our primary method of detection, both for cancerous and pre-cancerous lesions in the body. It’s important to remember that not all positive screenings are indicative of cancer. 相反，这些筛选 are designed to detect abnormalities or unusual cell activity in the body that may contribute to a patient’s risk for cancer or other complications. In order to receive an actual cancer diagnosis, biopsy or additional tests are used to confirm cancerous cell activity.

筛选的种类

Your primary care physician will screen for a variety of cancers during your annual physicals and regular wellness checkups, but it is still helpful to know about a few types of preventive screenings that are essential for keeping you healthy and catching any early signs of trouble.

对男人来说

前列腺检查: In addition to detecting any physical signs of trouble, these screenings are equally helpful in terms of obtaining a detailed 遗传或家族史 and assessing your personal level of future risk. 前列腺检查 typically conducted by your primary care physician, and will likely take place during your annual physical.

对于女性来说

巴氏涂片: For adult women, pap smears and a few additional screenings are typically conducted during annual physicals and OB/GYN appointments. 巴氏涂片 look for abnormal cell activity, and pelvic exams help detect abnormal tissue in and around the female reproductive system.
乳房x光检查: Women over the age of 40 will likely receive mammograms during their annual physicals, OB/GYN appointments. 然而, 乳腺癌 can occur earlier in a woman’s life as well, so it is important for women to inform their doctors if they notice or feel any changes in their breasts during self-checks.

对每个人来说

肺癌: Low-dose CT scans can be a valuable tool for detecting lung cancer at its earliest and most treatable stages. Washington Hospital offers a screening and prevention program that focuses on prevention measures for 高危患者, and offers helpful resources to those who are currently smoking or who 有吸烟史吗.
结肠镜检查: For anyone over the age of 50 or with a genetic predisposition for colorectal cancers, these screenings are crucial for maintaining your colon health and monitoring any abnormal activity that may contribute to colon cancer later on.

When in doubt, it is always best to contact your primary care physician with any concerns about your health. They will not only be able to help you navigate any necessary screenings, but they will also help you coordinate potential treatment plans as well.

When Screenings Come Back Positive

We never want to see abnormal results come back, but when we do, Washington Hospital Healthcare System has a wide scope of tools that allow us to make diagnoses and formulate treatment plans quickly.

为我们的病人放射肿瘤学中心 (ROC), we use the results of these diagnostic tests to help us design individualized treatment plans, and to identify the best possible course 照顾每一个病人. 我们决定辐射治疗 to utilize and continue to support patients throughout their ongoing treatment 以及恢复计划.

病人 have their cases presented to our tumor board, a multi-disciplinary team comprised of cancer specialists who work together to review and monitor the patient’s case at every stage, from diagnosis to recovery. 这 added insight helps us ensure that each patient is getting the highest level of personalized care possible.

参观买球网站医院网站要买球从哪买网站关于癌症治疗, your personal screening options, or the treatments we offer through the UCSF – Washington 癌症 Center.

2020年4月发布