Cancer has unfortunately not yet lost its terror despite the most modern medical treatment methods. With a regular use of the effective methods of cancer screening, the chances of recovery can be improved quite significantly.
What is cancer screening?
The objective of cancer screening mainly involves the early detection of tumors of various organs. Mammography is an examination of cancer screening. The objective of cancer screening mainly involves the early detection of tumors of various organs. Not every type of cancer requires cancer screening. However, for the malignant tumors with a detected metastasis, cancer screening may be life-saving and life-prolonging. Cancer prevention in the German health care system is based on uniform guidelines to guarantee the highest possible quality of procedures. In addition, cancer screening with a wide range of procedures can even be realized free of charge from a certain age, so that special risk groups can benefit from it. The medical examinations performed favor cancer screening in both women and men.
Function, effect and goals
Cancer screening refers exclusively to the tumors that can arise in the colon, skin or breast. Some procedures also ensure cancer prophylaxis in relation to lung carcinomas. The individual medical-technical procedures for screening include colonoscopy or coloscopy and mammography. Breast screening is a proven method for women to detect breast cancer as early as possible. Not only the technical imaging procedures, but also laboratory and clinical examinations are useful in cancer screening. Clear indications are offered in cancer prevention of colon cancer by laboratory tests of stool for the presence of occult blood. Palpation (palpation) of the colon in cancer screening for colon cancer is also significant. Furthermore, the significance of palpation by a urologist in relation to suspected prostate cancer is extremely significant within screening measures. Cancer screening in women is also extended to smears of the endometrium performed by a gynecologist. This cancer prophylaxis includes supplementary palpation of the external and internal female reproductive organs in order to be able to diagnose cancer of the cervix, ovaries or uterus in good time. In a smear preparation, special cell clusters or individual cells characteristic of tumor growth can be identified under the microscope. Cancer screening thus covers the skin, prostate and female reproductive organs, breasts and intestines. Mammography screening is already perceived by many women who are included in the 50+ risk group and can achieve imaging of breast cancer. This approach is enhanced by more specific ultrasound imaging and further tissue biopsy of the breast as a screening therapy for differential diagnosis. Mammography is a relatively efficient and almost painless procedure in which the breast is compressed to a specific volume and transilluminated. Mammography is a radiological procedure. It is not only conceded to women as a cancer screening. Men can also be treated with an examination by mammography. More advanced technologies are the so-called tomosynthesis and mammography based on the magnetic resonance principle. In the case of colonoscopy, a further development of the usual procedure contributes to the fact that even clearer indications of colorectal cancer can be detected and that the burden on risk groups is no longer so high in this cancer screening. By inserting an endoscope into the colon, immediately existing tumor formations can be detected during cancer screening. Even conspicuous cell structures, such as the colon polyps that often cause cancer, can be visually detected during colonoscopy.
Risks and dangers
All procedures and technologies used in cancer screening have previously undergone years of testing to determine their side effects and risks. In all procedures, patients at risk can be assured of good tolerability and appropriate safety.After a comparison of benefits and risks, cancer screening examinations can be taken with a clear conscience, despite individual unpleasant preparations (such as colonoscopy). Given the high chances of early detection of cancer, those willing to undergo examinations are happy to accept existing inconveniences. In addition, almost all cancer screening techniques are painless. The only problematic aspects are the psychological stresses and strains that each individual can tolerate or perceive differently during cancer screening.
