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Good health starts with you

We want you to be proactive about taking care of yourself. We encourage you to make an appointment with one of our primary care physicians and schedule regular check-ups. Your primary care physician will help guide you on recommended screenings, along with discussing your family medical history.

A cancer diagnosis can come as a result of an abnormality found in varying circumstances. This includes:

  • During preventative screening or exam
  • After having identifiable symptoms
  • Accidentally found during an exam for something else

An abnormality will most likely lead to a series of tests to give a diagnosis. We offer the most advanced options to accurately pinpoint the cause and give you answers.

Let’s take a look at some of the cancer screening guidelines. Remember: Early detection is key. Start by having conversations with your primary care provider about appropriate cancer screenings for you.

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Colon Screening

Colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable cancers — and when caught early, it is 90% preventable. Adults should begin screening at age 45, or earlier if you have a family history or other risk factors.

There is no single "right" screening test. Your provider can help you choose based on your health history and risk level. Options include:

  • Colonoscopy: The gold standard diagnostic and prevention method for colorectal cancer. A small flexible tube with a camera examines the full length of the colon. Full sedation is used to provide comfort during the procedure. If polyps or suspicious growths are found, they can be removed during the test. Done every 10 years. Learn more about colonoscopy and GI care at SIH Gastroenterology.
  • Home Stool Tests: Quick and easy: you collect a stool sample at home and send it to a lab.
    • FIT (Fecal Immunochemical Test) or FOBT (Fecal Occult Blood Test): Checks for hidden blood in the stool, which can be a sign of cancer. Done every year.
    • Stool DNA: Checks for hidden blood plus DNA changes from cancer or polyp cells. Done every 3 years. If a stool test comes back positive, a colonoscopy will be needed for follow-up.
      Source: Siteman Cancer Network 8ightWays® to Prevent Colon Cancer

Breast cancer screening

Every day in Illinois, 25 women are diagnosed with breast cancer.

But here’s the good news: If it’s detected early, breast cancer is 99% curable. At SIH Breast Center, our specialists encourage regular mammograms for women over 40, along with other screenings to help diagnose breast abnormalities earlier.

For example, when breast cancer is caught and treated at Stage 1 (an early and localized stage), the 5-year survival rates are about 98 percent.

Most insurances cover yearly screening mammography at 100 percent. Services are available through the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program for women with no insurance to help offset the cost of preventative services. To find out more, call 800.522.1282.

Schedule your mammogram and learn more breast care at the SIH Breast Center.

Lung cancer screening

If you are a current or ex-smoker between the ages of 50-80, it’s time to see us for a lung screening. We can also help guide you on ways to quit smoking. Did you know that smoking remains the No. 1 cause of lung cancer? In fact, in the absence of smoking, 80 percent of lung cancer would never occur.

Learn more about our advanced lung cancer detection technology and respiratory health at SIH Pulmonology.

Cervical cancer screening (women only)

Cervical cancer was once one of the most common causes of cancer death for American women. But over the last 30 years, the cervical cancer death rate has gone down by more than 50 percent because of the Pap test.

All women should begin cervical cancer screening at age 21 or when they are sexually active. Women between the ages of 21 to 29 should have a Pap test at least every three years. Women between the ages of 30 and 65 should have an HPV test every five years.

Schedule your pap smear and learn more about women's healthcare for every stage of life at SIH Women's Health.

Prostate cancer screening (men only)

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men, behind only lung cancer. In fact, 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. The screening is recommended for men:

  • Age 50 at average risk of prostate cancer and are expected to live at least 10 more years.
  • Age 45 at high risk of developing prostate cancer. This includes African Americans and men who have a first-degree relative (father, brother, or son) diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age (younger than age 65).
  • Age 40 at even higher risk (those with more than one first-degree relative who had prostate cancer at an early age).

To make an appointment, please contact your Primary Care Provider.

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