Screening Tests
Screenings look for signs of cancer before you experience symptoms. These tests can find cancer early, when treatment works best. Some screenings are available at reduced or no cost. Call our Cancer Resource Center for more information: 515-956-6440.
- Breast cancer screenings – Include detailed 3D mammography and abbreviated breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a 10 to 15-minute test that may especially benefit women with dense breast tissue. Call our Cancer Resource Center at 515-956-6440 for information about free or low-cost breast cancer screenings if you lack health insurance coverage for this important screening.
- Colonoscopy – Looks inside your large intestine for polyps (lumps), which could turn into cancer
- Lung cancer screening – Uses computed tomography (CT) at low doses of radiation for certain current and former smokers
- Pap test – Looks for changes in the cervix that could indicate cancer; may be done at the same time as an HPV test, which checks for a sexually transmitted infection that increases cancer risk
- Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test – Screens for prostate cancer
- Skin cancer screening – Examines the skin for moles of unusual size, texture, or color
- Genetic testing – Learning your inherited risk of developing certain types of cancer can help you make health and lifestyle decisions that are right for you.
Diagnostic Procedures
If screening results or your health symptoms suggest cancer, your doctor may order a diagnostic test to find the cause. Trust us to confirm or rule out cancer with:
- Biopsy – Takes a tiny sample of tissue to examine in a lab
- Imaging tests – Show the inside of your body to reveal tumors
- Lab tests – Check your blood, urine, or other body fluids for high or low levels of certain substances
These tests can also help your doctor stage cancer. Cancer stages describe where cancer started and whether it’s progressed (spread) to other parts of the body.
Results
Expect timely, accurate results when you choose Mary Greeley Medical Center and McFarland Clinic for testing and diagnostic services. Your primary care provider will contact you about the results of your tests and any needed next steps. If you have a MyChart account, you can also view the results in our secure, online patient portal.
Treating Cancer
After a cancer diagnosis, you’ll have all-hands-on-deck support from experts in the quickly changing field of cancer medicine. Look to the William R. Bliss Cancer Center for comprehensive, compassionate, personalized treatment that helps you achieve your best outcome.
We Are Ready for You
A diagnosis of colon cancer was just the beginning of Craig’s cancer journey. Find out how this father, husband and local dentist survived cancer with the help of the cancer team at Mary Greeley.
