Get healthy in the New Year: Screening Tests for Women

admin Posted OnJanuary 10, 2020

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Get healthy in the New Year: Screening Tests for Women: Ring in the new year by getting smart about your health. Here, leading doctors, department heads and dietitians from Northwell Health’s Northern Westchester Hospital offer their best tips on when to screen for common cancers in women and cardiovascular risk factors associated with heart disease.

Breast Cancer: Early detection decreases breast cancer mortality. In fact, since 1990, mammograms have helped decrease the death rate among breast cancer patients by 15-40%. Based on the extensive literature in this area, the American College of Radiology recommends women of average risk for breast cancer begin screening mammography at age 40 and continue screening annually as long as they are in good health. Women with higher than average risk for developing breast cancer need earlier and/or more intensive screening with mammography and MRI beginning as early as age 25-30 . The American College of Radiology recommends that all women, especially African-American Women and those of Ashkenzai Jewish descent should be evaluated for breast cancer risk no later than age 30 to identify those at higher risk who can benefit from earlier screening and supplemental screening with MRI. Dr. Bonnie Litvack – Medical Director of the Women’s Imaging Center at Northern Westchester Hospital.

Cervical Cancer: The Pap smear is used to test all women for pre-cancerous cellular abnormalities in a woman’s cervix. If abnormalities are found, she can be monitored or treated so she doesn’t develop cervical cancer. If a woman’s cervical cells appear abnormal and/or she is positive for high-risk HPV, she may undergo a colposcopy to find areas most likely to have abnormal cells. If these are present, a biopsy is used to make a definitive diagnosis. Among women 20 to 30 years old, most mild cervical cell abnormalities often go away by themselves. Cervical cancer develops slowly, so there’s not a lot of rush to proceed with treatments. If an older woman receives a positive biopsy, we are more likely to treat because the abnormalities don’t always go away on their own. We generally treat by surgically removing the abnormal area. The Pap test has decreased the rate of cervical cancer in the U.S. by 80 percent. Women who get screened for cervical cancer have a very low rate of this cancer. Women are currently advised to start getting Pap tests at 21. A specific protection for young women and young men is the Gardasil vaccine against HPV that induces immunity against some of the high-risk types of the HPV. The vaccine is best given between the ages of 11 and 13, but can be given up to age 27. It is recommended that women start having the HPV test along with their Pap test at age 30. There are no symptoms that signal your Pap test will be abnormal. – Navid Mootabar, MD, Chief, Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in men and women. However, only one in three eligible Americans begin to be screened for colon cancer at the recommended age of forty-five. If you have a family history of colorectal cancer, you should get screened 10 years earlier than that person’s age at diagnosis. The symptoms for colorectal cancer can be vague or non-existent. Constipation, abdominal pain, bloating, anemia, and fatigue are a few of the common ones. A low-fiber, high fat diet that includes a lot of cured and processed meats seems to raise the risk of colorectal cancer. Lifestyle choices like smoking, lack of regular exercise, obesity, and heavy alcohol use can increase your risk. Catching colon cancer early with a colonoscopy – before there are noticeable symptoms – is key to treating this disease successfully. – Thomas Weber, MD, Director of Surgical Oncology, Northwest Region of Northwell Health, and Medical Co-Director, Cancer Genetics Program at Northern Westchester Hospital.

Skin Cancer: Melanoma is the most worrisome type of skin cancer. This aggressive cancer is deadly when caught late. Fifty years ago, one in 2000 people developed a melanoma. Now it’s one in 35. About 85 to 90 percent of melanomas are caused by UV rays. Genetics can also play a roll and fair-skinned people are at higher risk than people with dark skin. The danger is that, over time, melanomas can metastasize releasing mutated cells that travel to other organs in the body, and that can be deadly. The first step to protecting yourself is limiting your exposure to UV light. The second step is to keep an eye on any moles you have. Click here for the ABCDE rule that can help you identify the features of an early melanoma. – Ross Levy, MD is Chief of Dermatology at Northern Westchester Hospital

Hypertension: Nearly a third of Americans have high blood pressure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hypertension is typically asymptomatic, damaging your body without your knowing it, and often creating a domino effect involving heart disease, stroke and other fatal cardiovascular complications. The good news is that lifestyle changes alone can help keep your pressure in check. Eat healthy foods, take a pass on the salt, exercise, lose weight and limit your alcohol intake. Hands down, the best dietary decision you can make is to limit processed food. Here’s some tips on how to lower blood pressure without sacrificing flavor. Check your blood pressure numbers, know what they mean, and know what to do about them. A healthy blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm. Prehypertension, between 120 and 139/80-90 mm HG, may already be causing damage. A reading of 140/90 or higher signals hypertension and warrants a visit to the doctor. Jill Ashbey-Pejoves, MS, RD, CDN, CDE, Chief Clinical Dietitian at Northern Westchester Hospital.

Cholesterol Levels: High cholesterol is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease – including heart attack and stroke — that affects half of all men and a third of all women. Understanding cholesterol and its role in heart disease, and taking simple steps to achieve safe levels, are vital investments in your heart’s health and your own longevity. If you have never had cholesterol issues and are between 20 and 30 years old you should you get tested for cholesterol every three years – yearly, if you’re 40 and over. If you’re on medication for high cholesterol, every six to 12 months. What are desirable numbers? For HDL cholesterol, if you’re male, your goal is to have greater than 40 (mg/dl or milligrams per deciliter of blood). If you’re female, your goal is greater than 50. For LDL, if you have no history of heart disease, your LDL should be less than 130. If you have a history, you want to be below 70. The best way to bring your cholesterol levels into the safe zone, and significantly reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease is on your own – through diet and exercise. And if you’re a smoker, quitting is a must. – By Dr. Peter Mercurio, Cardiologist at Northern Westchester Hospital

Type 2 Diabetes: A diagnosis of pre-diabetes means that you are at high risk for developing diabetes, and without lifestyle changes are likely to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes within 10 years. Better nutrition and exercise may help you prevent or delay the diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes. The key to reversing pre-diabetes is to move more, replace sugary drinks with water and cut back your food portions. A fasting blood sugar, a random glucose, oral glucose tolerance test or A1C can be used alone or together to diagnose diabetes. The American Diabetes Association recommends healthy adults should test for diabetes every three years starting at age 45. If you are overweight or obese or have high blood pressure, high triglycerides, a history of heart disease or family history of diabetes or are female with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or had diabetes during pregnancy, you may start testing earlier and more frequently. – Pat Talio, MS, RDN, CDE, CDN is a registered dietitian at Northern Westchester hospital and is a diabetes educator.