Dr. Josephine Young: With rising cancer risks, preventive care has never been more important

Gen Xers and Millennials have shouldered a whole host of challenges as they’ve aged. Unfortunately, a new study from the American Cancer Society (ACS) is adding one more concern to the list: rising cancer risk.

Researchers at the ACS found an increase in diagnosis rates for half of all cancer types for both age groups when compared to the generations that came before them. The ACS annual report also showed colorectal cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in men younger than 50 and the second cause in women that age. In Spokane County, cancer has remained the leading cause of death for two decades.

The study acknowledges there is not a clear explanation behind these rising rates. More research needs to be done to identify the underlying risk factors and determine how to address them.

In the meantime, there is a sliver of good news. Several of the cancers on the rise, including breast and colorectal cancers, have preventive screening options. Screenings can help catch cancer in time to successfully treat it or prevent it from getting worse.

Most health plans also cover these screenings at no cost to you.

No matter your age, a visit to your primary care provider is the best place to start. This could be a doctor, a nurse practitioner, or a physician assistant. During your visit, you’ll discuss your family history and personal health so your provider can recommend the right screenings for you. The most common screenings include:

A colonoscopy, the most widely used test for colorectal cancer for many years. This test requires special preparation and allows the doctor to remove suspicious looking polyps during the screening before they develop into cancer.

A fecal immunochemical test (FIT) kit – an alternative to a colonoscopy for people without any risk factors. This noninvasive screening can be used at home and does not require any special preparation. It works by looking for hidden blood in the stool, which can be a sign of cancerous or precancerous growths in the colon or rectum.

A breast exam, in which a primary care provider will manually check for any swelling, lumps or changes. This exam is usually performed during an annual wellness visit.

A mammogram, which is a low-dose X-ray used to detect breast cancer. A mammogram can often find signs of cancer that are too small to be felt during a breast exam.

Colorectal cancer screenings typically start for people at age 45. Mammograms should start at age 40, according to new recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. If you have a family history of either cancer, your provider may want you to start screenings 10 to 15 years earlier than what’s recommended for routine screenings. Take some time and check in with your parents, grandparents or other adults in the family to get updates on your family history.

If it’s been a couple of years, or even a couple of decades, since you’ve seen a primary care provider, you might be worried it’s too late to start. I promise you it’s not. They are there to support you – not to judge – no matter where you are in your health care journey. Reach out to your provider today to find out if it’s time for you to get screened.

There’s no sugar-coating it. Cancer can be scary, and reports like the one from the ACS can be alarming. But this knowledge is power. Armed with this information, Gen Xers and Millennials should feel empowered to talk to their health care providers about cancer screenings. Knowing your family history and getting screened could be lifesaving! And that’s a win for us all.

Dr. Josephine Young is a medical director at Premera Blue Cross.