cancer screening

Following up a mammogram with an ultrasound exam can find more cancers. But the additional test can also find more false positives that aren't cancer at all.

Do You Need Extra Screening For Breast Cancer? The Picture Is Blurry

5:00am October 07, 2016

by Katherine Hobson

Many women have dense breasts, and they may benefit from other forms of cancer screening beyond mammograms. But none of the options is ideal, and the available data don't make the decision easier.

Many preventive services used by both men and woman are now available at no cost to insured consumers.

Under Health Law, Many Preventive Services For Men Are Covered, Too

2:23pm October 04, 2016

by Michelle Andrews

A number of preventive services used by both men and women are available at no cost to insured consumers under the Affordable Care Act.

After a Cologuard screening test for colon cancer comes back positive, patients may have to pay for additional diagnostic tests.

Health & Safety

When A Screening Test For Colon Cancer Leads To A Pricey Follow-Up

10:53am August 30, 2016

by Michelle Andrews

Most screening tests for colon cancer are covered by insurance. But if the results are positive, patients may require a diagnostic colonoscopy that may not be fully paid for by insurance.

Tests you can take at home to check for colorectal cancer are now recommended on par with colonoscopy.

Changes For Colon Cancer Screening: 5 Things To Know Now

12:30pm June 24, 2016

by Julie Appleby

A federal task force expanded the list of recommended colorectal cancer screening tests. Here's the lowdown on the tests and how they might be covered now and in the future by health insurance.

These two normal mammograms show the difference between a breast with dense tissue, left, and one that is less dense. The dense tissue reads as white, the same color as breast cancer on a mammogram.

Letters Telling Women About Breast Density Are Often Too Darn Dense

3:25pm April 26, 2016

by Patti Neighmond

Half of states require that women who get mammograms be notified if they have dense breasts because they increase cancer risk. But the letters are often jargony and hard to understand, a study finds.

Health & Safety

After Medicare Drops Screening Charges, Men Head To Colonoscopy Suites

12:09pm January 06, 2016

by Michelle Andrews

More older men are getting screened for colorectal cancer since the federal health law eliminated the out-of-pocket charges for screening tests, but there's a catch if polyps are found.

Lipitor (atorvastain calcium) tablets made by Pfizer.

What To Think About Conflicting Medical Guidelines

7:35am January 03, 2016

Recommendations for who should get mammograms or take cholesterol-lowering drugs are among the medical guidelines that have recently changed.

Expanded Medicaid Coverage Means More Women Get Mammograms

12:14pm December 01, 2015

by Lynne Shallcross

Low-income women were 25 percent more likely to get screened for breast cancer in states that expanded their Medicaid programs early under the Affordable Care Act.

Testing for prostate cancer has declined after a recommendation in 2012 said it shouldn't be routine.

Health & Safety

Prostate Screening Drops Sharply, And So Do Cancer Cases

7:32pm November 17, 2015

by Rob Stein

A decrease in PSA testing came after a controversial recommendation against routine screening. As a result, many fewer cases of the most common cancer to hit men are being diagnosed, research finds.

Queue Listen Now

The online tool called Breast Screening Decisions explains the risks of screening vs. waiting, and also asks how a woman feels about the options.

Women In Their 40s Get Some Help With The Mammogram Decision

9:10am November 11, 2015

by Katherine Hobson

An online tool asks the right questions to put a woman's breast cancer risk in perspective. It also addresses the emotions that surround cancer screening.