Screenings: Making Cancer Easier to Find, Treat and Cure

Screenings: Making Cancer Easier to Find, Treat and Cure

Many of us know that making healthy lifestyle choices and getting recommended vaccines can help lower the risk or EVEN prevent some kinds of cancer.

Cancer screenings, which are also cancer prevention strategies, check your body for cancer, even if you have no signs or symptoms. There are different kinds of screenings including:

  • A physical exam and personal history
  • Lab tests
  • Imaging tests
  • Genetic tests (these tests look for changes in the genes that may indicate that a person has or is at risk of having a particular disease or condition).microscope with hands adding slide for test

Routine screening tests can help to find breast, cervical, colorectal (colon), and other cancers early, when they may be easier to treat or cure. Many expert organizations provide guidelines for different screenings, but it’s important to talk with your doctor about your personal situation. There are benefits and risks for most screenings, and certain tests may be recommended only for people who are considered high risk for a particular cancer. Together you and your healthcare provider can decide which screenings are appropriate for you.

Remember! When your doctor recommends a screening test for you, it does not necessarily mean they believe you have cancer. Screening tests are used in people with average risk and no symptoms of cancer. Usually these tests, if abnormal, require additional testing to definitively diagnose cancer. If you have symptoms or increased risk based on your personal or family history, you may need to start screening at an earlier age than is typically recommended or may need specialized testing.

Questions to ask your doctor about cancer screenings

  1. Are any cancer screening tests recommended for me? Which ones?
  2. Can we talk about the test’s potential risks compared to its benefits?
  3. When should I start getting cancer screenings? And how often?
  4. What is the purpose of the test?
  5. What happens during the test?
  6. How long does it take to get test results?
  7. What happens if the results are not normal?

Screening & Prevention Resources

Centers for Disease Prevention & Control, How to Prevent Cancer or Find It Early: Screening 

National Cancer Institute, Cancer Screening

Prevent Cancer Foundation, Cancer Screenings and Prevention

American Cancer Society, hundreds of articles on screening and prevention

Pair Goals & Intentions for A Happier, Healthier You in 2024

Pair Goals & Intentions for A Happier, Healthier You in 2024

As we start the new year, let’s not just think about resolutions as a list. Identifying both goals and intentions will make for a happier and healthier you.

Goals are specific targets, such as finishing a fitness challenge or learning something new. They give you a plan and a good feeling when you achieve them.Healthier and Happier you in 2024 graphic

Intentions are more about how you want to live your life. It’s like deciding to be positive, enjoy each day, or take care of yourself.

Paired, they give you the why and the how for living a more intentional life.

What to Think About for 2024

Goals: Think about what you want to achieve, like getting healthier, doing well at work, or spending more time with loved ones. Make sure your goals are doable and break them into smaller steps.

Intentions: Consider how you want to approach the year. Maybe focus on staying cheerful, being present in daily activities, or finding balance in your life.

For someone dealing with cancer, goals might be about finishing treatment, managing symptoms or learning about their cancer. Intentions could include prioritizing self-care and doing things that make them happy.

In cancer support, things like Bag It Cancer can help. The Bag It Cancer Bag gives tools and information for goals, and it also shows support and helps with feelings—a bit like a friendly companion.

Balancing goals and intentions is like having a plan and a positive mindset, making life better overall. It’s a great way to start the new year with a focus on feeling good and growing.

Resource To Help You Get Started

Read this article on self-awareness and setting intentions from Psychology Today.

Here’s To A More Nurturing New Year!

Here’s To A More Nurturing New Year!

As 2023 draws to a close, let’s pause to reflect on our individual journeys. Recognizing our personal challenges and successes is a crucial step towards nurturing our mental well-being.

The Value of Reflection

Taking a moment to think allows us to acknowledge our growth, fostering a sense of achievement and strength within ourselves.

Caring for Mental Health

The holiday season can be tricky, reflection serves as a powerful self-care tool, promoting mental wellness by validating our emotions.

Pause. Reflect, Act graphic

Looking Ahead

Consider setting intentions for the coming year, focusing on your emotional well-being and identifying ways to support yourself.

Practical Steps

Journaling: Reflect on daily experiences.
Mindfulness: Practice techniques for calmness.
Gratitude: List three things you’re grateful for each day.
Community Connection: Share your reflections with others for mutual support and encouragement.

A Season of Reflection

As we get ready for a new year, let’s find strength in our personal experiences and look towards a hopeful tomorrow.

Resources to ease your next steps.seasonal greens

 

Wishing you a season of reflection, peace, and personal growth.

Understanding Palliative Versus Hospice Care

Understanding Palliative Versus Hospice Care

Palliative and hospice care provide similar, but different services for patients and their families that focus on a holistic approach and their quality of life.

Palliative care is a way to help people with serious illnesses feel better physically and emotionally, and it can start at any point in their illness. It works with other types of treatments that aim to cure the illness. By contrast, hospice care is a special kind of palliative care for those with less than six months to live, with a main focus on keeping them comfortable and emotionally-supported during that time.

Here are some important differences between these two kinds of care:

Palliative Care

  • Aims to reduce pain and suffering in people with serious illnesses.

    NHPCO Palliative Care or Hospice booklet

    Read more from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization

  • Can start at any stage of the illness, including at diagnosis, and can coexist with treatments, regardless of the person’s expected recovery.
  • Can take place in various locations, including hospitals, clinics, or even at home.
  • The intensity of medical treatment can vary widely, potentially including strong treatments.
  • Often covered by health insurance and integrated into regular medical care.

Hospice Care

  • Primarily for individuals with a short life expectancy, often six months or less and involves a team of experts.
  • Main goal is to provide maximum comfort rather than aiming for a cure.
  • Usually provided at the patient’s home, in a specialized hospice facility, or in a hospital.
  • Typically begins when it becomes clear that treatments are not effective, focusing on the patient’s comfort in their final days or months.
  • Emphasizes comfort and symptom management, often discontinuing aggressive treatments.
  • Often covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance for eligible patients.

Both palliative care and hospice care provide comfort and support for patients, one throughout cancer or other illness, and the other as one approaches the end of life. Have a conversation with your doctor to figure out the kind of care that’s right for you and your unique situation, so you can live your best life.

Don’t Wait! Bag It Bag and online resources are able to provide ways to empower patients and their families to ask for these services (palliative and hospice care) to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Order a Bag and explore our Cancer Resource Center.

 

Additional Resources