HealthOne doctor urges cancer screenings heading into the new year
Cancer screenings undoubtedly save lives, and right now especially, medical experts say it's crucial to get checked out.
Dr. Scott Joy, Internal Medicine Physician and Chief Medical Officer for HealthONE Physician Services Group, is among those leading the effort. He's promoting Cancer Screening Week, saying risk is based on your individual health history.
"This is a good opportunity for everybody even going into the new year to make sure you schedule your annual wellness visit with your primary care provider," he shared with CBS News Colorado Anchor Mekialaya White on First at 4. "The age-appropriate cancer screening is based on your specific circumstance, like family history. And if you're a smoker, you should be screened for lung cancer. If you're starting to age, you should be screened for cervical cancer. Older patients should be screened for colon cancer beginning at age 45."
Joy says there are tests that providers primarily tend to focus on.
"Breast cancer for women, age 40 to 75 where definitely getting mammograms every 1-2 years is important. Colon cancer screening now begins at 45. That's a change in the last year or so. So, a lot of patients are more eligible at an early age. I think what's really interesting to me is that we have new tests. A lot of people are worried about doing a colonoscopy for colon cancer screening, but we actually have stool-based kits that we can send to your house, and we can do those every three years. There are a lot of new opportunities for cancer screening that don't involve a procedure."
To schedule a screening and learn more about HealthONE home services, visit healthonecares.com.
