Cancer Screen Week Calls on Americans to Act Now Against Cancer by Taking Pledge to Get Screened {Interview}
A SIMPLE ACTION CAN HAVE A BIG IMPACT!
Screening increases the chances of catching certain cancers early, when they are most likely to be treated successfully, according to the American Cancer Society.1 In the last year, approximately 600,000 people were expected to die from cancer,2 yet many of these lives could have been saved through earlier detection.3 But, in recent years, rates of cancer screening in recommended populations have either stayed stagnant or declined.4
Did you know colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death among men and women in the U.S., yet it may be found at an earlier stage through regular cancer screening?2 It’s just one of several cancers that may be found early through cancer screening.
Breast Cancer:
A regular mammogram is one of the most important things a woman can do to find breast cancer early – when it’s small, hasn’t spread and may be easier to treat.5,6,7
Cervical Cancer:
The Pap test can help catch cervical cancer early. It can also find pre-cancerous cells so they can be treated before they become cancer. The human papillomavirus (HPV) test finds HPV infections, which may increase the risk of cervical cancer.8
Lung Cancer:
Screening tests can check for lung cancer in current and former smokers.9
The first-ever Cancer Screen Week (December 4 – 8) has been founded by Genentech, the American Cancer Society, Stand Up To Cancer and Rally Health as a public health initiative to elevate awareness and foster understanding of the potentially lifesaving benefits of recommended cancer screenings. As part of the campaign, states will proclaim the week of December 4 as Cancer Screen Week, and all Americans are asked to take a pledge at GetScreenedNow.org to talk to their doctor about recommended screenings.
Recently, I had the privileged of interviewing Dr. Robert Smith with the American Cancer Society and patient advocate Debra Stansberry who talked with me regarding the Cancer Screen Week and the importance of raising awareness about cancer screening. See the complete interview here: https://youtu.be/GXeZiQun_NY
For more information, go to www.cancerscreenweek.org
Interview is courtesy of Genentech
1. American Cancer Society. Cancer Screening Guidelines 2017. Available at https://www.cancer.org/healthy/find-cancer-early/cancer-screening-guidelines.html. Accessed Sept. 19, 2017.
2. American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2017. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/research/cancer-facts-statistics/all-cancer-facts-figures/cancer-facts-figures-2017.html. Accessed Sept. 19, 2017.
3. National Cancer Institute. Cancer Screening Overview (PDQ®) Health Professional Version. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/screening/hp-screening-overview-pdq. Accessed Sept. 19, 2017.
4. National Cancer Institute Trends Progress Report. Available at: https://progressreport.cancer.gov/trends. Accessed Sept. 19, 2017.
5. American Cancer Society. American Cancer Society Recommendations for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/screening-tests-and-early-detection/
american-cancer-society-recommendations-for-the-early-detection-of-breast-cancer.html. Accessed Sept. 19, 2017.
6. American Cancer Society. Breast Cancer Screening Resources. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/breast-cancer-screening-resources.html. Accessed Sept. 19, 2017.
7. American Cancer Society. Take Control of Your Health: Get Tested For Breast Cancer (Poster). Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2016.
8. American Cancer Society. What Women Should Know About Cervical Cancer And The Human Papilloma Virus. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/cancer-control/en/booklets-flyers/what-every-woman-should-know-about-cervical-cancer-and-the-human-papilloma-virus-handout.pdf. Accessed Oct. 17, 2017.
9. American Cancer Society. Can Lung Cancer Be Found Early? 2016. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/lung-cancer/prevention-and-early-detection/early-detection.html. Accessed October 17, 2017.
