A Controversial Full-Body Scan
- Rita Ora is promoting a full-body MRI scan by Prenuvo to screen for cancers and has been getting backlash from fans over the pricey preventative measure, however the bigger issue is that these devices are not part of regular screening guidelines
- The American College of Preventive Medicine recommends against using whole-body scans for early tumor detection in asymptomatic patients.
- However, early detection via standard screening methods is key in many cases, such as women being advised to screen for breast cancer at age 40 by getting a mammogram and people with no family history of colon cancer should begin screening at age 45 with a colonoscopy.
- Making all of your doctor’s appointments for major health screenings every year in January is a good way to make sure your health is covered from all angles, whether it’s a mammogram, Pap smear, colonoscopy, screening for prostate cancer, lung cancer scan, or a skin check at the dermatologist.
Regular screenings with your doctor are crucial, but extensive early detection isn’t always beneficial, and using an MRI as a screening method, or instead of a screening method, can be a danger to your health.
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While the promotion may be controversial, and Ora is getting slammed over the $2500 medical cost not covered by insurance — some of her followers commented that they haven’t been in for a mammogram in years. So at least Ora’s post appears to have sparked some urgency to get screened for mammograms — as they are still the best tool for detecting breast cancer.
Mammograms Are Still the Best Tool for Detecting Breast Cancer
Potential Harm of Early Screenings
Depending on the type of disease, early detection is optimal in most cases, but this type of full-body scan may not always have ideal outcomes.
The American College of Preventive Medicine actually recommends against using whole-body scans for early tumor detection in asymptomatic patients.
Additionally, in a National Cancer Institute-funded study, published on Sept. 27 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers found that cancer-screening guidelines “don’t adequately capture the potential harms of cancer screening.”
It’s evident that screenings such as mammograms, colonoscopies or Pap smears can help people find precancerous growths, receive treatment early on, and reduce deaths from disease, but the study warned that these screenings can also cause various harms including physical harm, worry and stress, inaccurate results, and unnecessary follow-up. Screening for cancer is recommended only when the potential benefits outweigh the potential harm, the study added.
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Protocols for Screening Major Cancer Types
It is important to remember that early detection is key in many cases, such as women being advised to screen for breast cancer at age 40 and people with no family history of colon cancer should begin screening at age 45.
RELATED: Women Should Now Start Getting Mammograms at 40, Expert Panel Suggests
Additionally, cervical cancer screening is advised to begin at 25 with a primary human papillomavirus (HPV) test, which more sensitive than a standard Pap smear test, and continue every 5 years, according to American Cancer Society (ACS) guidelines.
Also, the guidelines for prostate cancer screening depend largely on your risk for the disease and that’s based on several factors including family history, genetics, age, and race.
Screening is simple and consists of a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and a digital rectal exam to feel the prostate gland. “It’s slightly uncomfortable but painless, and takes less than 30 seconds,” Dr. Edwin Posadas, Director of Translational Oncology and the Medical Director of the Urologic Oncology Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet.
Making all of your doctor’s appointments for major health screenings every year in January is a good way to make sure your health is covered from all angles, whether it’s a mammogram, Pap smear, colonoscopy, screening for prostate cancer, lung cancer scan, or a skin check at the dermatologist.
Contributing by SurvivorNet staff.
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