Results from the ACS 2009 Report of Cancer Screenings
I spoke a bit about the buzz surround the American Cancer Society report in my blog post here. But, after reading a detailed account of the report, I wanted to share with the community the facts I found most interesting. I think this report is especially important to consider as Health Activists because it may change the way health communities look at cancer, screenings, early-detection, and overall awareness. Seeing how quickly cancer news spreads (like the "BeatCancer" campaign I mentioned here), I am curious to see what members of our community are seeing, hearing, and thinking about.
Join the discussion on this topic in the Cancer Group and Breast Cancer Group.
Here are some of the facts from the ACS report:
• Between the ages of 20-39 years, women should undergo clinical breast examination (CBE) every 3 years.
• Women over 40 should receive CBE every year.
• ~8.4% of women report a family history of breast cancer in first-degree relatives and 3% of women 20-29 report a family history of breast cancer.
• The ACS no longer recommends monthly breast self-examination (BSE) and says women should be informed about the potential benefits, limitations, and harms (false-positive result) associated with BSE.
• Average-risk women should begin annual mammography at 40 years old. There is no specific upper-age at which women should discontinue getting mammograms. As long as a woman is in good health and would be a candidate for breast cancer treatment - she should receive a mammogram.
• For women with a known BRCA mutation (and other high-risk genetic syndromes) or have been treated with chest radiation from Hodgkin disease should start receiving mammograms and MRIs annually starting at age 30.
• MRI is not recommended for women who are average-risk.
• Cervical cancer screenings should begin ~3 years after first vaginal intercourse but no later than 21 years old
• Until age 30, women at average-risk should receive either annual screenings (with convential cervical cytology smears) or biennial screening (with liquid-based cytology).
• After age 30, a woman who has had 3 consecutive technically satisfactory Pap smears with normal/negative results may choose to undergo cervical cancer screenings every 2-3 years using either cytology or undergo a screening every 3 years with the HPV DNA testing and either type of cytology.
• Women who undergo the HPV DNA testing should be informed that
° HPV infection is usually not detectable or harmful
° nearly everyone who has had intercourse has been exposed to HPV and infection is very common
° a positive HPV does not reflect the presence of STDs but rather an STI
° a positive HPV test does not indicate the presence of cancer or will the majority of women with positive tests develop advanced cervical neoplasia
• Women who are in good health and have in tact cervices should continue cervical screenings until age 70 and can stop screening if they have had no abnormal/positive tests between age 60-70 and have 3 recent, satisfactory Pap tests.
• Women 70+ should be tested if, in good health and have not been screened before
• Women who have cervical cancer history or are immunocompromised by organ transplant, chemo, chronic corticosteroid treatment, or those who are HIV positive should be tested for cervical cancer twice a year during the first year after diagnosis and every year thereafter - there is no age when women who are immunocompromised or have a history of cervical cancer should stop screenings.
• Women with average risk or in these risk groups should continue cervical cancer screenings as long as they are in reasonably good health and would benefit from early detection and treatment
• The ACS recommends routine HPV vaccination principally for girls 11-12 years old and for females 13-18 who missed the opportunity to be vaccinated or who need to complete the vaccination series.
• There are insufficient data to recommend for or against the universal vaccination of females 19-26. Women this age should talk with a healthcare professional about their potential risk for HPV exposure and potential benefit from vaccination
• According to the 2007 National Immunization of Teens, 25.1% of US females 13-17 initiated the HPV vaccine series.
• The ACS no longer recommends a stand-alone examination or "cancer-related checkup" but rather stresses that during general periodic examination is a good opportunity to address examinations and counseling that could lead to prevention and early detection.
• In 2005, 79.6% of women reported undergoing a Pap test within the last 3 years
• Among all racial/ethnic groups, there was a slight decline in the proportion of women reporting having a recent Pap test (a 1.7 percentage point drop)
• In 2005, 66.9& of women reported having had a mammogram within the past 2 years (which is a decline of 3.4% from the reported rate in 2000).
• Screening rates for CRC increased from 200-2005 from 37.6% to 44.2% in adults 50-64 and from 48.7% to 56.4% in adults over 65.
• In 2006, 83.3% of women 18+ with an intact uterus reported having had a Pap test within the past 3 years.
• Trends indicate that the steady increase in CRC screening is due to greater uptake of colonoscopy.
• Cancer screening rates from population-based surveys overestimate the true rate of screening so participation in screening is even greated than indicated by current estimates form the NHIS and BRFSS.
Please refer to this review to learn what the ACS found about "Screening and Surveillance for the Early Detection of Adenomatous Polyps and Colorectal Cancer", "Screening for Endometrial Cancer," "Testing for Early Prostate Cancer Detection," and "Testing for Early Lung Cancer Detection."
What do you think?
Join the discussion on this topic in the Cancer Group and Breast Cancer Group.
Here are some of the facts from the ACS report:
• Between the ages of 20-39 years, women should undergo clinical breast examination (CBE) every 3 years.
• Women over 40 should receive CBE every year.
• ~8.4% of women report a family history of breast cancer in first-degree relatives and 3% of women 20-29 report a family history of breast cancer.
• The ACS no longer recommends monthly breast self-examination (BSE) and says women should be informed about the potential benefits, limitations, and harms (false-positive result) associated with BSE.
• Average-risk women should begin annual mammography at 40 years old. There is no specific upper-age at which women should discontinue getting mammograms. As long as a woman is in good health and would be a candidate for breast cancer treatment - she should receive a mammogram.
• For women with a known BRCA mutation (and other high-risk genetic syndromes) or have been treated with chest radiation from Hodgkin disease should start receiving mammograms and MRIs annually starting at age 30.
• MRI is not recommended for women who are average-risk.
• Cervical cancer screenings should begin ~3 years after first vaginal intercourse but no later than 21 years old
• Until age 30, women at average-risk should receive either annual screenings (with convential cervical cytology smears) or biennial screening (with liquid-based cytology).
• After age 30, a woman who has had 3 consecutive technically satisfactory Pap smears with normal/negative results may choose to undergo cervical cancer screenings every 2-3 years using either cytology or undergo a screening every 3 years with the HPV DNA testing and either type of cytology.
• Women who undergo the HPV DNA testing should be informed that
° HPV infection is usually not detectable or harmful
° nearly everyone who has had intercourse has been exposed to HPV and infection is very common
° a positive HPV does not reflect the presence of STDs but rather an STI
° a positive HPV test does not indicate the presence of cancer or will the majority of women with positive tests develop advanced cervical neoplasia
• Women who are in good health and have in tact cervices should continue cervical screenings until age 70 and can stop screening if they have had no abnormal/positive tests between age 60-70 and have 3 recent, satisfactory Pap tests.
• Women 70+ should be tested if, in good health and have not been screened before
• Women who have cervical cancer history or are immunocompromised by organ transplant, chemo, chronic corticosteroid treatment, or those who are HIV positive should be tested for cervical cancer twice a year during the first year after diagnosis and every year thereafter - there is no age when women who are immunocompromised or have a history of cervical cancer should stop screenings.
• Women with average risk or in these risk groups should continue cervical cancer screenings as long as they are in reasonably good health and would benefit from early detection and treatment
• The ACS recommends routine HPV vaccination principally for girls 11-12 years old and for females 13-18 who missed the opportunity to be vaccinated or who need to complete the vaccination series.
• There are insufficient data to recommend for or against the universal vaccination of females 19-26. Women this age should talk with a healthcare professional about their potential risk for HPV exposure and potential benefit from vaccination
• According to the 2007 National Immunization of Teens, 25.1% of US females 13-17 initiated the HPV vaccine series.
• The ACS no longer recommends a stand-alone examination or "cancer-related checkup" but rather stresses that during general periodic examination is a good opportunity to address examinations and counseling that could lead to prevention and early detection.
• In 2005, 79.6% of women reported undergoing a Pap test within the last 3 years
• Among all racial/ethnic groups, there was a slight decline in the proportion of women reporting having a recent Pap test (a 1.7 percentage point drop)
• In 2005, 66.9& of women reported having had a mammogram within the past 2 years (which is a decline of 3.4% from the reported rate in 2000).
• Screening rates for CRC increased from 200-2005 from 37.6% to 44.2% in adults 50-64 and from 48.7% to 56.4% in adults over 65.
• In 2006, 83.3% of women 18+ with an intact uterus reported having had a Pap test within the past 3 years.
• Trends indicate that the steady increase in CRC screening is due to greater uptake of colonoscopy.
• Cancer screening rates from population-based surveys overestimate the true rate of screening so participation in screening is even greated than indicated by current estimates form the NHIS and BRFSS.
Please refer to this review to learn what the ACS found about "Screening and Surveillance for the Early Detection of Adenomatous Polyps and Colorectal Cancer", "Screening for Endometrial Cancer," "Testing for Early Prostate Cancer Detection," and "Testing for Early Lung Cancer Detection."
What do you think?
Tags: acs, breast, cancer, cervical, colon, detection, mammogram, prostate, screenings, treatment
© 2009 Created by Marie
