Why Are Cancer Screenings Important?

Why Cancer Screening Is Important According to field research conducted, approximately 200,000 people are diagnosed with cancer each year. Particularly in our country, cancer ranks among the leading health threats alongside cardiovascular disease. Cancer is known to be a preventable disease. Avoiding tobacco products, eating appropriately for age, gender and medical history, reaching ideal body weight, protecting against harmful sun rays, avoiding environmental and chemical carcinogens, and maintaining an active lifestyle provide significant protection against cancer. Raising public awareness and taking measures regarding cancer types caused by environmental and chemical substances is of major importance for public health. Specialist Dr. Halis Yerlikaya from the Medical Oncology Department at Memorial Diyarbakır Hospital provided information on cancer and prevention methods. Cancer development is not always attributed solely to biological risk factors (age, gender, race). Factors limited to lifestyle changes and individual measures are not sufficient on their own to prevent cancer formation. It is highly important that situations harmful to public health and carcinogenic in nature—such as air pollution, smoke exposure from tobacco product use, or indoor smoke from solid fuel use—be controlled through collective measures and social cohesion. At both the societal and individual level, to minimize important risk factors in cancer development and prevent cancer caused by these factors, the risk factors that need to be known can be briefly listed as follows:

• Alcohol use
• HPV infection transmitted sexually
• Hepatitis B (HBV) or other cancer-causing infections
• Ionizing and ultraviolet radiation
• Air pollution
• Use of tobacco products, primarily cigarettes
• Passive smoking (exposure to tobacco smoke)
• Excess weight or obesity
• Inadequate and unhealthy nutrition
• Insufficient physical activity
• Indoor smoke from solid fuel use
• Use of substances in workplaces that can cause cancer

Annual screening is recommended for cancer diagnosis

Screening methods are available in our country for early diagnosis of breast, colorectal, cervical, prostate and lung cancers, which are frequently seen, without any symptoms. The slogan 'Fear not cancer, fear being too late' emphasizes an important reality. Early diagnosis saves lives in cancer; for this reason, screening recommended at specified ages especially for frequently seen cancers—breast cancer, colorectal cancer and cervical cancer—is of vital importance. In this way, detection is possible at an earlier stage before certain symptoms appear and before cancer spreads in the body. Individuals with certain risk factors and those above a certain age must undergo screening for early diagnosis and for the success of cancer treatment. It should not be forgotten that with lifestyle changes and effective use of screening methods, cancer is a preventable and early-detectable disease. Screening methods must be used effectively to achieve more successful results from cancer treatment. For individuals in whom advanced-stage cancer is detected without screening, treatment options are more limited and success rates may be lower. For example, thanks to mammography screening in women, breast cancer treatment can be achieved through surgery alone without even requiring chemotherapy in early stages. Delay in the diagnostic process causes the treatment process to begin late, which can change the course of the disease and increase vital risk factors.