Cancer Screening: What to Get, and When
Screening finds some cancers before they cause symptoms, but it isn't automatic, isn't the same for everyone, and isn't risk-free — every screening test has both benefits and harms attached to it. This guide starts with what screening actually is and who guidelines recommend it for by age, then walks through the specific tests for breast, cervical, colorectal, and lung cancer, and closes with what to do with a false-positive result, which is far more common than a lot of people expect.
In this guide
- 1
Screening
Cancer Screening: An Overview
A plain-language overview of what cancer screening is, its goals, and its benefits and harms, based on National Cancer Institute resources.
6 min read · Beginner
- 2
Screening
The Benefits and Harms of Cancer Screening
A plain-language look at the benefits and harms of cancer screening, from early detection to false positives and overdiagnosis
5 min read · Beginner
- 3
Screening
Cancer Screening Guidelines by Age: A Plain Summary
A plain-language overview of which cancer screenings are commonly recommended and at roughly what ages
6 min read · Beginner
- 4
Cancer Types
Breast Cancer Screening: Mammograms and Other Tests
A guide to breast cancer screening: mammograms, MRI, and the benefits and harms. Based on the National Cancer Institute.
5 min read · Beginner
- 5
Screening
Cervical Cancer Screening: When and How
A plain-language overview of cervical cancer screening — the Pap and HPV tests, when to start and stop, how often
6 min read · Beginner
- 6
Screening
Colorectal Cancer Screening: Your Options Explained
A plain-language overview of colorectal cancer screening — why it works, when to start, and how the main tests compare
6 min read · Beginner
- 7
Screening
Lung Cancer Screening with Low-Dose CT
A plain-language guide to lung cancer screening with low-dose CT — who it's for, its benefits and harms — based on National Cancer Institute resources.
5 min read · Intermediate
- 8
Screening
Dense Breast Tissue & Supplemental Screening
A clear guide to dense breast notifications, why dense tissue makes mammograms harder to read, 3D mammography, breast ultrasound, and MRI options.
6 min read · Beginner
- 9
Screening
Managing False-Positive Screening Results & Anxiety
Why false-positive screening results are common, what the real numbers are, why they are not anyone's mistake, and how to handle the anxiety.
6 min read · Beginner
Screening guidelines shift as evidence changes, and your own history — family history, prior results, other health conditions — can change what's recommended for you specifically. Bring this guide's questions to your primary care doctor rather than treating any of it as a personal recommendation.