I SCREEN, YOU SCREEN...l By Judith Hurley

When it comes to fighting cancer, nothing beats early detection.
   The latest statistics on cancer are out, and the news is mostly good. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. death rate from cancer has dropped 25 percent since 1991. That translates to 2.1 million fewer cancer deaths a year. The decrease can be attributed to early detection efforts (such as colon cancer screenings and mammograms) and a drop in smoking rates.
   Yet cancer remains the second-leading cause of death among Americans, so if you haven't thought about undergoing recommended cancer screenings, you should. In the United States, 41 out of every 100 men and 38 out of every 100 women will develop cancer in their lifetimes, and the risk for cancer increases with age. The top three cancers in men are prostate, lung and colorectal. In women, they are breast, lung and colorectal.
   Accurate early-detection exams aren't available for all cancers, but they are for several of the biggies: colorectal, cervical, breast and lung. Nationally, however, screening rates lag behind their targets. In 2013, for example, only 58 percent of adults ages 50 to 75 were up to date on colorectal cancer screenings. The rates for cervical and breast cancer screenings were somewhat better
- 81 and 73 percent, respectively
-but still not optimal.
   While many cancer screening trends are positive, Blacks, Latinos and low-income Americans are less likely to be screened. Not surprisingly, they are also more likely to have cancer diagnosed at a later, less treatable stage and to die of it. Fear of the procedure, busy schedules, lack of health insurance and a high co-pay for expensive procedures such as colonoscopies are all barriers to screening.
Types Of Screenings:
   Depending on your age and risk factors, the guidelines for cancer screenings vary. Here is a roundup of the early cancer detection exams recommended by the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force, an independent panel of experts that advises the medical community:
BREAST CANCER: Women 50-74 should get a mammogram every two years. For women 40-49, mammogram decisions should be individualized.
CERVICAL CANCER: Woman 21 to 65 who have not had a hysterectomy should have a Pap test every three years.
COLORECTAL CANCER: Men and women 50-75 should have either a fecal occult blood test (FOBT) annually, a sigmoidoscopy every five years plus an FOBT every three years, or a colonoscopy every 10 years. An FOBT detects cancer that is already present. A sigmoidoscopy examines the rectum and lower portion of the colon, while a colonoscopy examines the entire colon. In both procedures, polyps can be detected and removed before they become cancerous.