A 25-year-old woman has recently moved to a new city. She comes today for her first routine visit and annual physical assessment. She asks you about screening tests for cancer at her age. Which of the following cancer screening tests are recommended for her age group?
(A) mammography every 5 years
(B) Pap smear at least every 3 years
© stool for occult blood
(D) chest x-ray (CXR) every 3 years
(E) physical examination of the breast by a
physician
solution:
(B) There is universal agreement on the need for regular Pap smears in young women. There is no need to screen for colon cancer (fecal occult blood) or lung tumors (CXR), particularly at this age. Mammography, if indicated for screening, would be only for older women. Many authorities recommend breast selfexamination
as well as physical examination by a physician.