Cancer screenings
Take charge of your health, get screened for cancer
Preventative cancer screening tests are designed to detect cancer often before symptoms even begin—when it may be easier to treat or cure. Learn more about which cancer screening test is right for you and how to stay on a regular screening schedule.
Why get screened for cancer?
Your doctor may recommend screening for certain cancers based on a variety of factors including age, sex assigned at birth, family history, habits and genetics. Regular cancer screenings help your health care team assess your risk for cancer and offer the best chance to find the disease in its earliest stages when treatment is often the most successful. Penn Medicine offers a full spectrum of cancer screening, evaluation and risk assessment options.
Cancer screening guidelines
Penn Medicine offers a variety of screening procedures for various cancer types. Learn more about the current preventative screening guidelines for common cancers.
Rated “exceptional” by The National Cancer Institute
Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center is a world leader in cancer research, patient care, and education. Our status as a national leader in cancer care is reflected in our continuous designation as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) since 1973, one of 7 such centers in the United States. The ACC is also a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, one of a select few cancer centers in the U.S., that are working to promote equitable access to high-quality, advanced cancer care.
Types of cancer screening tests
Depending on the type of cancer being screened, personal cancer risk and other factors, there are various kinds of preventative screening tests your provider may recommend. Some common screenings include:
- Physical exam: Your physician will conduct an exam of your body to assess your current state of health. They may look for lumps or anything unusual.
- Personal and family history: During a physical exam, your provider may go over your personal and family health history. Family history of certain cancers may put you at increased risk for developing certain types of cancer.
- Genetic tests: Some cancers are caused by BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations, with the highest risk being breast, ovarian, pancreatic and prostate cancers. To test for genetic mutations, a blood or saliva sample will be taken from you and analyzed in a lab for changes in genes or chromosomes.
- Laboratory tests: Certain cancers can be detected by taking samples of blood, urine or tissue for a pathologist to examine in a lab.
- Imaging tests: Tests using mammograms, x-ray, CT, MRI and other types of imaging enable your health care team to see inside your body to detect cancer.
Do screening tests diagnose cancer?
Most screening tests are designed to assess your cancer risk and do not diagnose cancer. If abnormalities are discovered during your screening, your provider may recommend additional diagnostic tests like a biopsy to provide more definitive results.
If cancer is detected, you will be referred to an oncologist who specializes in your specific type of cancer. If cancer is not detected, your provider may recommend a regular monitoring schedule.