Knowing your risk factors for disease is one of the first steps toward prevention and treatment. Then you and your primary care physician can work together to address health problems before they start. Examples of preventive care include vaccinations like the flu shot, yearly check-ups with your primary care doctor and other health screenings. Preventive care is important for successful treatment because:

• Early detection is key — Many serious conditions, such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes, don’t show symptoms or warning signs. Even minor health problems should be checked out in case they lead to something more threatening.
• You save money — Preventive care is usually less expensive than treating a health problem once it has started. Annual checkups and health screenings help people stay healthy and avoid expensive care for full-blown illnesses.
• You can avoid serious illness — Many diseases, even serious ones, are preventable through a healthy lifestyle. People can learn how to eat a balanced diet, get plenty of physical activity and get help to stop smoking or moderate alcohol use.

Different patients need different health screenings at different ages. The guidelines for these screenings come from medical organizations such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and are based on the latest scientific evidence.

Important cancer screenings

Finding cancer in its preliminary stages, before it has a chance to spread, can mean the difference between life and death. It also makes treatment easier, less invasive and less expensive. But many cancers are sneaky — growing for years before causing symptoms. That’s where routine screening comes in. These tests are designed to spot small abnormalities before they become bigger problems. Colon cancer is a good example: During a routine screening colonoscopy, doctors can spot and remove polyps or small growths that may, if left alone for years, turn malignant. Detecting cancer before it’s cancer? Talk about a win-win.

Prostate cancer

What it is
Two types of tests may help catch prostate cancer in its early stages. The first is a blood test called PSA, for prostate-specific antigen. A high level may indicate cancer. The other test is called DRE, for digital rectal examination. Here, your doctor inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into your rectum and feels your prostate for anything unusual. The DRE is less effective at finding prostate cancer than the PSA test, but it can sometimes be helpful.

What it is
A Pap test or Pap smear is the most common means of screening for cervical cancer. During a routine gynecological exam, your doctor collects a sample from the surface of your cervix, which is examined under a microscope for suspicious cells. A test for HPV (human papillomavirus) may be done on the same sample. HPV is a common virus that is the cause of many cervical cancer cases.

How it helps
It can take up to seven years for abnormal cervical cells to become cancer. If screening finds cells that have started on that journey, you’ll be monitored to see if they return to normal without any intervention at all, as often happens. If the changes are more substantial, you can have the abnormal cells removed before they turn cancerous.

When to get it
For most women between the ages of 21 and 65, the test is repeated every three years — more often if it finds abnormal cells. Alternatively, women 30 years and older can get an HPV test (or HPV test plus Pap smear) every five years.

Good to know
Cervical cancer used to be the deadliest form of cancer for women, but routine Pap tests made a dramatic difference. Now, cervical cancer doesn’t even crack the top five.

Good to know
Breast cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in American women. In 2022, experts expect it to account for around 30% of women’s cancer diagnoses. Your risk for breast cancer nearly doubles if your mother, sister or daughter has the disease — but even so, more than 85% of women who get breast cancer have no family history.

What it is
You have a couple of options here. The gold standard is a colonoscopy, in which a doctor examines your large intestine, colon and rectum with a special scope. During this exam, any suspicious tissue, called polyps, can be removed and examined in a lab. Colonoscopies require prep to clean out the colon and are typically done under sedation. For people with few risk factors, there are several other tests available. The simplest ones examine a sample of your stool for tiny amounts of blood. Another option, called sigmoidoscopy, is almost like a mini-colonoscopy: It’s done without sedation and takes less time, but it’s also less comprehensive.

When to get it
For most people, a first screening is warranted when you turn 45. You may need to start sooner if you have known risk factors: if you’re Black or have an inflammatory bowel disease, relevant family history or certain genetic syndromes. Over 75? Ask your doctor about screening.

Good to know
In 2021, the USPSTF lowered the age when screening should start from 50 to 45, because colon cancer incidence among people in their forties has been rising — jumping 2% every year from 2012 through 2016. Actor Chadwick Boseman was just 43 when he died of colorectal cancer.

Screening tests can help flag certain diseases while they’re in the early stages, but vaccinations can help prevent some altogether (or, as we’ve seen with Covid-19 vaccines, ensure a milder case if you do get sick). Everyone should get the vaccines that follow, though their timing depends on age and risk factors — talk to your doctor about your individual needs. Other vaccines, like for hepatitis A, are recommended only for people with specific risk factors.

Having a regular check-in with your doctor ensures you’ll get several other routine screenings to monitor your health — or even save your life:

• Blood pressure: High blood pressure boosts your odds of developing several serious conditions, including stroke and heart attack. Between ages 18 and 39, get your blood pressure checked every three to five years. Over 40? Get checked annually. 
• Cholesterol: Too much cholesterol in your blood can lead to heart disease. If you don’t have a family history or other risk factors, you only need to be tested every five years or so. More risk factors mean more frequent testing.
• Blood sugar: Whether or not you have symptoms of diabetes, if you’re between 35 and 70 years old and are overweight or obese, your doctor should order a fasting blood glucose test. You’ll fast overnight and have blood drawn first thing in the morning to see if your blood sugar level is elevated. 
• Depression: Depression is one of the leading causes of disability in people over 15 years old, and you may not realize you have it. Screening is simple, usually a series of questions asked by your doctor. 

They call for checking adults aged 50 to 80 who either smoke now or quit within the last 15 years, and who have what’s known as a “20 pack-year” smoking history. That’s the number of packs you smoke a day multiplied by the number of years you’ve smoked. For instance, one pack a day for 20 years and two daily packs for 10 years both count as 20 pack-years. If you’re referred for screening, you’ll get a low-dose CT scan each year until 15 years after you quit.