Essential Screening Tests Every Woman Needs

Why Screening Tests Are Important

Getting the right screening test at the right time is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Screenings find diseases like cancer or diabetes early, before you have symptoms, and when they’re easier to treat. Which test you should have depends on your age and your risk factors. Learn more about the screenings your doctor may recommend for you.

Breast Cancer

Early detection of breast cancer greatly improves your odds for survival. That's because the smaller the cancer is when it's found, the better the chance for a surgical cure. Smaller breast cancers are also less likely to have spread to lymph nodes and other organs such as the lungs and brain. If you're in your 20s or 30s and do not have known breast cancer risk factors, a clinical breast exam by a health professional should be part of your regular health exam once every three years.

Screening With Mammography

Talk to your doctor about breast cancer screening. The American Cancer Society recommends yearly screening for women at average risk beginning at 40. However, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening mammograms every two years from ages 50 to 74. These low-dose X-rays can detect a lump three years before you can feel it. But a normal mammogram does not completely rule out the possibility of breast cancer.

Cervical Cancer

The cervix is the part of the uterus that extends into the vaginal cavity. Persistent infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) is the major risk factor for cervical cancer (shown here, magnified). Routine screening can find it early, when it's highly curable. It can also find abnormal precancerous cells on the surface of the cervix so they can be removed before they turn into cancer.

Screening for Cervical Cancer

Doctors use a Pap test to screen for cancer of the cervix. In the office, the doctor collects a sample of cells from your cervix. These are examined in the lab to find precancerous and cancer cells. The screening test should start at age 21. It's very effective in both preventing and finding cervical cancer early enough to cure it.

A Vaccine for Cervical Cancer

The FDA has approved a vaccine -- Gardasil -- for girls and women between the ages of 9 and 26. It confers immunity against four strains of HPV, the virus that is a leading cause of cervical cancer. A second vaccine, Cervarix, received FDA approval in October 2009 for use in girls and women between the ages of 10 and 25. Cervarix targets two strains of HPV. Not all cervical cancers are due to HPV and other strains of HPV can still cause cancer that neither vaccine protects against. So while these vaccines may greatly reduce the number of cervical cancer cases, it’s still important to have routine Pap tests to screen for cancer of the cervix.

Osteoporosis and Fractured Bones

Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones become weak and fragile. It's caused by bone loss, which accelerates in women after menopause. The first symptom is often a painful bone fracture that can occur with only a minor fall, blow, or even just a twist of the body. It is possible to both prevent and treat osteoporosis, which threatens over half of U.S. adults aged 50 and over, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.

Osteoporosis Screening Tests