Cancer Detection

An ovarian cancer test, CA125 is a reliable tool when used correctly. That is the message from Roswell Park following an FDA alert regarding the use of this common blood test.

The most effective way to find breast cancer in women at the earliest and most treatable stage is through screening mammography. However, mammography is not a perfect technology, and it may miss as many as 10-20% of all breast cancers. So can an MRI be used together with a mammogram for better detection?

“Am I pooping enough? Why is my poop green?” Seemingly silly questions like these are, in fact, important to understanding your body. The bowel movement chart below will help you decode your stool and discover helpful insights into your health. Keep in mind that everyone’s body is different and only a medical professional can evaluate your individual symptoms and observations.

Unfortunately, most pancreatic cancer cases are not found until the disease has reached stage IV.
The cause of testicular cancer is unknown. Learn the risk factors that increase the chance of developing this disease.
"Even among those cysts that are deemed pre-cancerous, very few of them end up becoming cancerous."
On a mammogram, fat looks dark grey or black whereas breast tissue looks white. That white area can be an issue because many small breast cancers also appear as white, so it’s harder to detect them in dense breasts.

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects your mesothelium, a thin layer of tissue that covers most internal organs, including your lungs, stomach and heart. However, tumors in the mesothelium can also be benign, meaning non-cancerous.

While 90% of colorectal cancer diagnoses occur in those ages 50 and older, incidence rates are increasing for young people under 50. Unfortunately, because these cancers are usually discovered at a later stage, colon cancer deaths among young men and women are rising as well.
A CT (computed tomography) scan, also referred to as a CAT (computed axial tomography) scan, is an x-ray technique used to create a cross-sectional image. CT scans are used to detect tumors and to continue tracking any changes in their growth.

A genetic consultation is often recommended for people who are concerned about their risk for cancer due to a personal or family history of cancer.

The last time I visited Roswell Park it was without my sister Elise. I went alone. I was still in the emotional turmoil of grieving her loss. I was very much looking forward to visiting some of her doctors and attempting to “connect to her,” and to the previous life I had with her.