• Women ages 40 to 44 should have the choice to start annual breast cancer screening with mammograms, an X-ray of the breast, if they wish to do so.
• Women ages 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year.

Commercial health insurance, Medicare and Medicaid will likely cover the cost of your mammogram. Please check with your insurance provider for coverage details.

The Tri-Cities Cancer Center Foundation sponsors mammograms for a portion of people who are completely uninsured through partnerships with local free healthcare clinics.

The Washington State Health Department sponsors the Breast, Cervical and Colon Health Program (BCCHP), which is available to those who aren’t recipients of Medicare or Medicaid and fall within a low-income qualification. Please contact your primary care provider to ask about the BCCHP.

Starting at age 50, men should talk to a health care provider about the pros and cons of a prostate cancer screening.

If you’re African American or have a father or brother who experienced prostate cancer before age 65, you should have this talk with your primary care provider about starting your screenings earlier at age 45.

For lung cancer screenings, Providence follows National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. Those guidelines recommend annual lung cancer screenings for people who are:

• 50-80 years of age
• Have a 20 pack-year smoking history
• Currently smoke or have quit smoking within the past 15 years

A pack-year is equal to smoking 1 pack, or approximately 20 cigarettes, per day for a year. For example, a person could have a 20 pack-year history by smoking 1 pack a day for 20 years or from smoking 2 packs a day for 10 years.

Adults that fit these criteria face a dramatically higher risk of developing lung cancer or other lung diseases. Additional risk factors might include:

• Family history of lung cancer
• Exposure to asbestos, radon, arsenic or other carcinogens

You should have a discussion with a health care professional about the purpose of screening and what to expect, in addition to its benefits and limitations. Because a low-dose CT scan involves a lower amount of radiation exposure than a traditional CT scan, it’s a proven and safe way to screen for lung cancer. Despite the CT scan being low dose, it still involves slight exposure to radiation.

People who still smoke should be counseled about quitting and offered interventions. We provide resources to help at Kadlec Healthplex.

• Cervical cancer screenings, or Pap smears, typically start at age 25. People under age 25 usually aren't tested because the occurrence of cervical cancer in this age group is rare.
• People between the ages of 25 and 65 should also get a primary human papillomavirus (HPV) test every five years. If a primary HPV test isn’t available, a co-test – an HPV test with a Pap smear – every five years, or a Pap smear every three years are still good screening options.

It's most important to get regular screenings. People who’ve been vaccinated against HPV should still follow the screening recommendations for their age groups.

• People over age 65 who received regular cervical cancer screenings in the past 10 years with normal results shouldn't be tested for cervical cancer. Once testing has stopped, it shouldn’t be started again.
• People with a history of serious cervical pre-cancer should continue to be tested for at least 25 years after diagnosis, even if the testing goes past age 65.
  • Those whose cervix has been surgically removed for reasons unrelated to cervical cancer or serious pre-cancer shouldn’t be tested.

Due to their health history, some individuals may need a different screening schedule for cervical cancer; for example, if you have HIV, received an organ transplant or have been exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES), amongst other conditions.

Commercial health insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid will likely cover the cost of your cervical cancer screening. Please check with your insurance provider for coverage details.

The Washington State Health Department sponsors the Breast, Cervical and Colon Health Program (BCCHP), which is available to those who aren’t recipients of Medicare or Medicaid and fall within a low-income qualification. Please contact your primary care provider to ask about the BCCHP.

Skin screenings are recommended to detect suspicious changes on the skin that could indicate a risk of cancer. These screenings can be performed by a dermatologist or some primary care providers.

The Tri-Cities Cancer Center Foundation sponsors free skin screening events throughout the year. These events are open to everyone, regardless of your insurance status. Please check scheduling updates on our social media page.

For questions about free skin screening events at Kadlec Tri-Cities Cancer Center, please call us at the number above.