cancer screening

The new guidelines were prompted by increased rates of breast cancer in women in their 40s. They recommend mammograms every other year, starting at age 40.

Mammograms should start at age 40, new guidelines recommend

2:19pm April 30, 2024

by Allison Aubrey

A rise in breast cancer among younger women prompted the U.S. Preventive Task Force to issue new screening guidelines. They recommend mammograms every other year, starting at age 40.

If the FDA approves it, a new blood test could become another screening option for colorectal cancer.

A simple blood test can detect colorectal cancer early, study finds

7:14pm March 14, 2024

by Allison Aubrey

At a time when colorectal cancer is rising, researchers say a blood test can detect 83% of people with the disease. If the FDA approves it the test would be another screening tool for early detection.

Colorectal cancer is rising in young people. A growing body of evidence suggests diet and lifestyle play a role in the uptick.

Colorectal cancer is rising among Gen X, Y & Z. Here are 5 ways to protect yourself

10:56am March 20, 2023

by Allison Aubrey

If you're in your 20s, 30s or 40s, you need to know the signs to watch for and when to seek screening or treatment for colorectal cancer.

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When women get a blood test during pregnancy that looks at free-floating DNA, they expect it to tell about the health of the fetus. But the test sometimes finds signs of cancer in the mother.

A new kind of blood test can screen for many cancers — as some pregnant people learn

5:08am December 23, 2022

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Testing pregnant people's blood to look at free-floating DNA can tell doctors about the health of the fetus. But these tests sometime turn up DNA that might be shed by cancerous cells.

A new European study grabbed headlines this week, as it seemed to question the efficacy of colonoscopies as a cancer screening tool. But U.S. physicians say there were big limits to that study. They cite more than a decade of research showing colonoscopies save lives.

Colonoscopies save lives. Doctors push back against European study that casts doubt

4:59pm October 13, 2022

by Allison Aubrey

Colon cancer specialists worry that results of a study published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine could be misconstrued, and keep patients from getting lifesaving cancer screening.

This microscope image from the National Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Research shows human colon cancer cells with the nuclei stained red. Americans should start getting screened for colon cancer at age 45, according to new guidelines from the U.S. P

Colorectal Cancer Screening Should Start At Age 45, Experts Recommend

4:27pm May 18, 2021

by Rob Stein

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says the age that routine screening begins for colorectal cancer should drop from 50 to 45. Colorectal is the third-leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S.

If you've been putting off routine medical care over the past year, now's the time to catch up, doctors say. The consequences of missing some key screenings and health follow-ups can be lethal.

5 Medical Appointments You Should Stop Putting Off

5:00am March 02, 2021

by Kristen Kendrick

If you've been delaying routine medical care in the past year, now's the time to catch up, doctors say. The consequences of missing some key screenings and health checkups can be lethal.

According to a growing body of research, going to the doctor late in the day may mean you get lower-quality care.

Good Medical Care Can Suffer Late In The Day

11:16pm February 29, 2020

by Mara Gordon

Many of us feel increasingly stressed and short on time as the day wears on. But does that make for worse medical care? Studies suggest preventive maintenance suffers with late appointments.

Health & Safety

Progress On Lung Cancer Drives Historic Drop In U.S. Cancer Death Rate

7:08pm January 08, 2020

by Richard Harris

The U.S. cancer death rate dropped more than 2% between 2016 and 2017, the biggest single-year drop ever, according to the American Cancer Society. Better treatment for lung cancer is a factor.

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Screening for lung cancer can catch tumors but it can also produce false positives. Patients need to decide whether it's right for them, but doctors often don't know how to advise them.

Should You Get That Scan? Your Doctor Might Not Be Great At Helping You Decide

5:55pm August 18, 2018

In a new study, researchers found that doctors are better at explaining the benefits of a common cancer screening that its potential downsides. But overtesting comes with risks and costs of its own.