Health Department

• Pap smears and pelvic exams by appointment
• Breast and testicular self-examination education
• Colorectal screening
• Free breast and cervical cancer screenings available to women who meet program guidelines. Click here for guidelines.
• Referrals for free mammography for women meeting program guidelines
• Cancer screening services are available at the West Central Clinic location, 2716 W. Central. Click here to see clinic hours and contact information.

Cervical Cancer:

Many women do not realize that, unlike other cancers that primarily affect elderly women, cervical cancer can develop in young and middle-age women. Women aged 40 and over should continue regular cervical screening-even if they have stopped menstruating or have had their uterus removed.

A yearly Pap test to detect precancerous, abnormal changes in the cervix is the most effective tool women have to help protect themselves from cervical cancer. Women who do not have regular Pap tests are more likely to be diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer, which is not easily treated.  Women should receive yearly Pap tests beginning at age 18 or when they become sexually active, which ever comes first.

Breast Cancer:

Although breast cancer is more prevalent among women over the age of 40, teenage girls and women in their 20s also can develop the disease. In addition to getting a health care provider to check their breasts once a year, young women should also conduct monthly breast self exams to screen for possible cancers and become familiar with the look and feel of their breasts.

Testicular Cancer:

Testicular cancer can occur in males of all ages—including infants and elderly men—but is most common in males age 15 to 40 years.

In addition to having undescended testicles, you are also at greater risk if you:

• Have a family history of testicular cancer
• Have a personal history of testicular cancer. Men who have had cancer in one testicle are at increased risk for developing cancer in the other.
• Are a white, American male. The risk of testicular cancer among white American men is five times higher than that of African-American men.
• Are between the ages of 15 and 40. However, males at any age can develop this disease.

By practicing early detection, males can increase their chances of discovering testicular cancer in its earliest, most treatable stages. Once a month, men should perform a simple testicular self-exam (TSE) in an effort to discover any physical changes or abnormalities early.

Colorectal Cancer:

Cancer of the colon and rectum (colorectal cancer) is highly preventable, as well as treatable and curable when detected early. Despite this fact, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths. In 2002, an estimated 148,300 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and approximately 56,600 Americans will die from the disease.

All men and women aged 50 and over are at risk for developing colorectal cancer. Some people are at higher risk for colorectal cancer and may need to be tested earlier than age 50. Those at a higher risk include those people with:

• A personal or family history of benign (non-cancerous) colorectal polyps.
• A personal or family history of colorectal cancer.
• A personal or family history of inflammatory bowel disease — ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.
• A personal or family history of ovarian, endometrial or breast cancer.

Resources

American Cancer Society
Cancer Research Foundation of America