Bethke Cancer Center
Prevention Is Key
Cancer prevention begins with a healthy lifestyle: not smoking, eating a well-balanced diet, exercising and maintaining a healthy weight. But even those who follow all the lifestyle rules need to be screened for the most common cancers, including breast, colon and prostate cancer. Fortunately, there are effective screenings tests available.
Breast cancer: Women should begin having annual mammograms at age 40. If there is a family history of breast cancer, mammograms may be suggested at an earlier age.
Colon cancer: Adults should have a first colonoscopy at age 50.
Prostate cancer: Men should begin having a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test and rectal exam at age 50. African-American men or those with a family history of prostate cancer may need to be screened at an earlier age.
Your physician or nurse practitioner can arrange for you to receive the appropriate health screenings. Emerson offers free community screenings each spring on Cancer Awareness Day. Please call 978-287-3237 for more information.
