WHEN SHOULD I GET SCREENED FOR CANCER?

BEST TIME TO SEE:

Dear Customer:

– If you are a married woman, you should go for a check-up 5 days after your period so that the Pap test (cervical cancer screening) and breast exam results are more accurate. You should not go for a check-up during your period.

– You should fast and drink at least 8 hours before doing blood tests, ultrasounds, and gastrointestinal endoscopy for the most accurate results (you can drink water during this time).

– You should stop taking all medications on the morning of the blood draw (except for regular blood pressure medication which can still be taken normally).

– Avoid wearing clothes with metal buttons, choose suitable bras without underwire, and do not wear metal jewelry around the neck when taking X-rays or having an electrocardiogram.

WHAT SHOULD I BRING TO A MEDICAL EXAMINATION?

- Test results, hospital discharge papers, old or current prescriptions (if any).

– CCCD card to enter registration data, store information accurately and securely.

NEED TO KNOW MEDICAL HISTORY INFORMATION:

– Personal history  : chronic diseases being treated, history of surgery, drug allergies, alcohol and tobacco use, neck radiation therapy?

– Family history:

Parents and siblings in the family have had malignant diseases such as: stomach cancer, colon cancer, liver cancer, thyroid cancer, pancreatic cancer, etc.

Mother, aunt, sister with breast cancer, ovarian cancer,...

GENETIC CANCER:

Is a person born into a family with a genetic mutation that can be inherited from the father or mother. In this case, we need to do genetic testing.

For example: In a family with a mother, aunt, or sister with breast cancer, a specialized molecular biology test for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes helps assess risk factors.

Therefore, if a close relative has ever had cancer, you should have regular health check-ups to have appropriate prevention methods.

WHO NEEDS CANCER SCREENING:

– Cancer screening should be performed for all ages and genders.

– Cancer screening package by age – from 18-30, 30-40, over 40 years old helps screen for early cancer before symptoms appear, with high cure rate.

– In addition, patients with family members who have had cancer need regular screening to have appropriate prevention methods.

– Patients who regularly smoke, drink alcohol, have chronic hepatitis B, gastritis, chronic colitis, multiple colon polyps, etc. need to be checked more frequently.

– And importantly, we should not wait until there are suspicious signs of cancer because at this point the disease is often already severe.

WARNING SYMPTOMS OF CANCER THAT NEED TO BE EXAMINED IMMEDIATELY:

1. Persistent cough or prolonged hoarseness - may be a sign of laryngeal cancer or lung cancer.

2. Difficulty swallowing, hoarseness - warning signs of thyroid cancer, esophageal cancer.

3. Palpable mass: immediate cancer warning.

4. Neck lymph nodes: warning of lymphoma or cancer metastasis elsewhere (nasopharyngeal, lung, liver, gallbladder, pancreatic, stomach, colon cancer...).

5. Full stomach, loss of appetite, abdominal cramps, vomiting blood, black stools, sometimes loose stools, bloody stools...: warning signs of liver, gallbladder, pancreatic, stomach, and colon cancer.

6. Changes in urination habits, difficulty urinating, blood in the urine: can be a sign of kidney, bladder and prostate cancer.

7. Persistent pain: depending on the location, it will warn of different cancers.

8. Unexplained weight loss: cancer warning.

9. Fever, chills, prolonged fatigue, nosebleeds, bruises on arms and legs, pale skin, dizziness: warning signs of leukemia.

10. Bleeding, unusual discharge from the nose, throat, nipples, genital area, etc.: warning signs of nasopharyngeal cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer or vulvar cancer.

11. Ulcers that are slow to heal and do not heal: depending on the location of the ulcer, it can be a warning sign of different cancers. Ulcers can be in the mouth, tongue, stomach, colon, etc., so close monitoring and post-treatment examination are needed for an accurate diagnosis.

12. Changes in swallowing flies: warning of skin cancer.

Article link:

Cancer screening package for 18 - 30  years old

Cancer screening package for 30 - 40 years old

Cancer screening package for over 40 years old