Cancer Screening: Treatment, Cost and Side Effects

Scientists are grading themselves into developing new tests that help to diagnose certain types of cancer before their symptoms are seen. These methods are called as screening. The main agenda of cancer screening is to eradicate deaths from cancer and reduce the number of people who develop such diseases. Going through screening tests regularly may find cervical, breast and colon cancers at an early stage i.e. when treatment would work the best. These tests may involve urine tests, blood tests or medical imaging. Screening test is a unique constraint to each type of cancer and developing new tests is a field of active research. Initially some types do not have any effective screening tests.

1. Head and Neck Cancers By the General health screening examination, the doctor examines the mouth, throat and nose for any abnormal conditions or lumps in the neck. Regular dental checkups are also important.
2. Breast Cancer The most efficient technique is Mammography. It is a type of X-Ray uniquely designed to examine breasts. The mammograms (images produced by mammography) may show any abnormalities or tumours which may be there.
3. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is not generally used as a screening for breast cancer. However, it may help women with dense breasts or who maybe at a higher risk of breast cancer.

Some of the treatments for some type of cancer are as follows:

• Colorectal Cancer

  During the process of Colonoscopy, the doctor inserts a lighted, flexible tube into the rectum, called a colonoscopy. The rectum can thus be checked for polyps or cancer. A test named as Faecal occult blood test (FOBT) find blood in stool (faeces) which may indicate polyps or cancer. Immunochemical and guaiac are two types of FOBT. Double contrast barium enema is an X-Ray to examine the rectum and colon. The doctors use this test for people who are not eligible for a colonoscopy.

• Skin Cancer

  The test is Dermoscopy, where a doctors use a device to calculate the shape, size and pigmentation patterns of skin. This test is generally used for the detection of melanoma. One may also go for a Complete skin examination where a doctor checks the skin for any signs of skin cancer.

• Prostate Cancer

  Prostate specific antigen (PSA) test is a blood test that measures the level of PSA. In men with prostate cancer the PSA level is comparatively higher. However, a higher level may also indicate problems that are not cancerous.

• Cervical Cancer

In the process of Human papillomavirus (HPV) test, cells from the outside of a woman cervix are scraped to test for certain HPV strains. Few strains are linked to an upgraded risk of cervical cancer. This test can also be done using a sample of cells that a woman can herself collect from her vagina. If cancer is detected by a test, it leads to options of curing them, be it any stage. Cancer screening may help preventing cancer through finding abnormal changes in the body that would convert into cancer. When known about a cancer at an early age it lets us prevent any chances of spreading it to other parts linked. However, treating a disease at a much early stage would only make sense if it leads to a better health outcome. The treatment is done as soon as it is detected.

Screening should be done only for diseases with serious consequences so that the tests can have benefits to people’ life.

For the head and neck cancer screening, doctors advise every individual to go through an early physical examination of the oropharynx, the neck and the head. Along with it they must get a yearly routine dental examination for inspection of the mouth. For most women, who are not at a high risk of breast cancer can start their regular mammograms after the age of 50. To be very cautious, a woman may also get one around the age of 45 and if normal may wait till she turns 50 for the next mammogram.

Doctors recommend the screening tests for colorectal cancer test for adults, beginning at the age of 50 and continuing it till the age of 75. Approximately 15% of cases of melanoma are diagnosed before the age of 35. Therefore, individuals between the age of 14 to 34 are most eligible to get a screening test for skin cancer.

The routine screening for prostate cancer should be done for men of age 70 or older. It may be given to men of ages 50 to 70, who have greater risk factors. In cervical cancer screening test, most women who are between the age of 25 to 74 get their initial cervical screening test due two years after the last Pap test. If the result is negative then the tests can be done after every five years. Though for all ages, healthy lifestyle is a must.

If your age is above 70, you may not be eligible for the treatment considering the risk factors.

These cancer screening tests helps improve survival of a patient by detecting the cancer at a very curable stage and helping out doctors with a clear view of the urgency. However, it also has a number of risks associated with it. These risks may include:

False positives i.e. a screening test would suggest that a person has cancer when they don’t. This may imply unnecessary expenditures over treatment that maybe further harmful and eventually not required by the body. False reassurance is suggesting that the person is not suffering from any cancer when he actually does. As a result of which, the person will not be given the treatment required.

Over-diagnosis may occur where the screening tests would show cancers that are growing slowly and may not affect the lifespan of a person. Under such examination, a person might have to go through painful, stressful and expensive treatments that are not required.

Because of over-diagnosis and false positives the doctor may prescribe increased testing in terms of certain tests that the person may not need otherwise. These tests may be expensive, physically invasive and may cause stress that is not required.

Cancer survivors face physical, psychosocial, spiritual or potential challenges that may begin during active treatment or persist for a longer duration (late effects). The guidelines suggests surveillance for recurrence, health promotion, examination of physical late effects of cancer and their treatment, screening for second primary cancers and practice implications or care coordination. Consulting the doctor after every few months or years as per advised would be a better measure to prevent any second chances.

Detection on time may also mean less treatment, less money requirement and less time spent recovering. Earlier the cancer is detected, lesser the chances of your survival.

The cost of Cancer screening tests in India is around 12500 INR and about 52000 INR would be the cost of a full body check up including cancer screening tests. This cost includes standard urine and blood tests and other specific tests for the detection of cancer. Due to the Government’s initiatives to spread cancer awareness, the cost of cancer screening tests in India is on a lower scale when compared. The increasing rate of cancer cases would suggest every individual post the age of 40 to go through a screening test.

That depends on the lifestyle the patient lead. It must be healthy and the proper medications must be taken.

Some alternatives are as follows:

• Stool DNA Tests examines DNA from a stool sample to search out for cancer. By using the DNA changes majorly seen in cancers and polyps, its helps a doctor to confirm is colonoscopy is required.
• Another method is Digital rectal examination (DRE) in which a doctor inserts a lubricated gloved finger in a man’s rectum and examines the surface of the prostate for any abnormalities. It is accompanied by Pap test. However, these alternatives depends on the type of cancers.