Prevention and Early Detection

The Center for Prevention and Early Detection at the Rush-Copley Cancer Care Center is dedicated to helping each member of community reduce his or her cancer risk no matter what age.  Through comprehensive educational and screening programs, we are attacking cancer before it starts.  

Cancer Prevention Recommendations

Although no disease is entirely preventable, Americans can reduce their risk for cancer.  The following lifestyle choices recommended by the  American Cancer Society can help reduce your cancer risk.

• Choose most of the foods you eat from plant sources
• Limit intake of high fat foods, particularly form animal sources
• Be physically active
• Limit consumption of alcoholic beverages, if you drink at all
• Don't Smoke! 

Cancer Screening Recommendations

Cancers that can be detected by screening account for about half of all new cancer cases.  The 5-year survival rate for these cancers is about 82%.  According to the American Cancer Society, if all of these cancers were diagnosed at the localized stage through regular cancer screenings, 5-year survival rates would increase to 95%.

Beginning at age 18+

• Women - Annual pap test and pelvic exam (or as recommended by your doctor)

Beginning at age 20+

• Men and Women - Skin exam every three years, Cancer-related checkup every three years*
• Women - monthly breast self-exam, clinical breast exam every three years

Beginning at age 40+

• Men and Women - annual skin exam, annual cancer-related checkup*
• Women - annual mammogram, annual clinical breast exam, monthly breast self-exam

Beginning at age 50+

• Men and Women - annual fecal occult blood test (FOBT) and flexible sigmoidoscopy every five yearsorColonoscopy every 10 years or double-contrast barium enema every five years 
• Men - Talk to your doctor about beginning annual prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood testing and digital rectal exam (DRE).

Note: Those people who are at higher risk for specific cancers, such as a personal or family history or are of a race at high risk, should begin screening at an earlier age and/or undergo screening more often.  Consult your physician for a screening schedule that is right for you.

* Includes health counseling and may include examinations for cancers of the thyroid, oral cavity, skin, lymph nodes, testes and ovaries as well as for some non-malignant diseases.