Most cancers are curable if detected early. In fact, early detection is the only option currently to reduce deaths from cancer substantially. Recognizing possible warning signs of cancer and taking prompt action leads to early diagnosis. Increased awareness of possible warning signs of cancer, among physicians, nurses and other health care providers as well as among the general public, can have a great impact on the disease. Often a doctor can find early cancer during a physical exam or with routine tests, even if a person has no symptoms. The doctor may suggest other exams for people who are at increased risk for cancer.
Cancer screening
Cancer screening aims to detect cancer before symptoms appear. This may involve blood tests, urine tests, other tests, or medical imaging. Screening tests must be effective, safe, well-tolerated with acceptably low rates of false positive and false negative results. If signs of cancer are detected, more definitive and invasive follow-up tests are performed to reach a diagnosis. Screening for cancer can lead to cancer prevention and earlier diagnosis. However, it may also falsely appear to increase the time to death through lead time bias or length time bias. Cancer screening is not indicated unless life expectancy is greater than five years and the benefit is uncertain over the age of 70.
When to use PET scans and how they work
Positron emission tomography (PET) is a medical imaging procedure that can provide information about how an organ or system in the body is working and it can reveal changes in metabolism. PET scans can detect cancer in its early stages, help to monitor cancer treatment and check if the cancer is coming back.
CT and MRI images provide information such as size, shape and location of physical structures in the body while PET monitors body functioning. PET scans are different than CT scans in that they detect the metabolic processes of cancer cells. Cancer cells tend to have a higher metabolism than normal cells, and therefore absorb sugar faster. During a PET scan, radioisotopes are attached to a sugar-like solution and the images produced by the PET scan capture the increased metabolic activity, representing areas of cancer.
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PET scan involves the painless injection of a small amount of a „positron-emitting” radioactive material (called a radiopharmaceutical). Images of the body are then taken using a PET scanner. The camera detects emissions coming from the injected radiopharmaceutical and the computer attached to the camera creates two and three-dimensional images of the area being examined. The injection of the radioactive material does not make you feel any different or drowsy. There are no sedative drugs or anaesthesia used during this procedure. The PET scan is considered to be a safe procedure that exposes you to around the same amount of radiation that you would receive from the general environment over about three years.
CT Scans for Cancer Detection
The Computed Tomography (CT) scan is an x-ray procedure that produces detailed cross-sectional images of your body. Instead of taking one picture, like a conventional x-ray, a CT scanner takes many pictures as it rotates around you; it creates a three-dimensional picture of the inside of the body and a computer then combines these images into a detailed, cross-sectional view that shows any abnormalities. CT scans are not painful and the examination will generally last up to an hour, although the scanning itself takes only 10 to 15 minutes or less.
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