General recommendations

Adults 65 and younger

Get annual checkups that include discussions of tobacco use, sun exposure, diet and nutrition, disease risk factors, sexual practices and any exposure to dangerous substances at work or at home. Find out if you have a high risk of colon cancer because of family history, genetic disorders or other factors.

Women ages 21 and older

To check for cervical cancer and the HPV virus that causes cancer, get a Pap and HPV test done every three years until age 30, then every five years. Report any changes in the way your breasts look or feel to a doctor or nurse right away. Find out if you are at higher than average risk for breast cancer.

40-49 years old

Talk with a doctor about the uncertainties, risks and potential benefits of prostate cancer testing starting at age 45. Men with more than one close relative who has had prostate cancer before age 65 should talk with a doctor about testing starting at age 40.

Women ages 40 to 54 should talk to their health-care provider about mammogram screenings. Leading cancer organizations disagree about whether mammograms should be done annually or every two years.

50-65+ years old

At age 55, talk to a doctor about your smoking history and about a lowdose CT scan to screen for early lung cancer. Have a colonoscopy starting at age 50 if you’re at high risk and talk with a doctor about testing for prostate cancer if you’re at average risk. Start colon cancer testing at age 50 if you’re at average risk. Women 55 to 69 can get mammograms annually or every two years. Talk to your doctor about continued screenings if you are 70 and older.