TESTS THAT CATCH CANCER EARLIER

O CT scans for lung: 
Doctors have been reluctant to routinely prescribe these tests because they can cost several thousands, are often not covered by insurance, and emit potentially cancer-causing radiation. But new re-search shows that they’re worth the expense and risks: Scans revealed potential signs of cancer in 27 percent of patients, compared with 9 percent of those who got X-rays, according to a study of over 53,000 people published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The CT scans were also much more likely to pick up lung cancer in early, more treatable stages. If you’re a current or former smoker over age 55 with a smoking history of at least 30 pack-years (one pack a day for 30 years, two packs a day for 15 years, etc), the American Lung Association advises screening with low-dose CT scans annually.

O Pap smears for ovarian and endometrial: 
Now the test that has dramatically reduced rates of cervical cancer may screen for other gynecological diseases. With a swab of the cervical fluid from your Pap, pathologists can look for mutations in the genes most frequently altered in ovarian and endometrial cancers, according to a new Johns Hopkins study. “The test picked up almost 50 percent of ovarian cancers and 100 percent of endometrial cancers, which is fantastic,” says Ernest Hawk, MD, a cancer prevention expert. These cancers are often deadly because they’re difficult to screen for and are usually diagnosed at advanced stages.

O Breathalyzer test for colon: 
A simple breath test can correctly identify patients with colon cancer more than 75 percent of the time, according to a recent Italian study. Researchers analyzed the chemical makeup of the breath of 37 people with colorectal cancer and 41 people without cancer and found a chemical pattern that was consistent with colorectal cancer. In comparison, colonoscopy — widely considered the gold standard of colon cancer screening — has a successful detection rate of 85 to 95 percent. Other researchers are studying ways to use Breathalyzers to ferret out lung, breast, and prostate cancers.