Kobayashi has always been very concerned about her own health, and she will have regular physical examinations every year, and whenever she receives the health examination report, she will always have a satisfied smile on her face, believing that her physical condition is very good.
Half a year ago, she had a breast examination during a physical examination, and the doctor told her that there was a small nodule of about 1 cm in her breast, but there was no risk of cancer. Xiao Lin felt relieved after hearing this, so he didn't take the matter too seriously.
However, after half a year, a sudden phone call broke her peaceful life. The hospital informed her that she had been diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. The news was like a bolt from the blue, making her incredulous, and her heart was full of shock and doubt.
She couldn't help but ask herself, why couldn't she find it in time during the annual physical examination? Remorse, fear, and confusion mingled in her mind, and she couldn't understand why she had missed the golden opportunity for treatment.
Eventually, Kobayashi was forced to undergo a total mastectomy. After the operation, she lay on the hospital bed, her heart surging with indescribable complex emotions.
For many people, physical examinations, a key part of disease prevention and health protection, are often seen as a mere formality.
They mistakenly believe that as long as they have a medical examination, they will be able to see all the hidden dangers of their body. But the reality is far from it, especially for a major disease like cancer, where the limitations and possible loopholes of routine medical check-ups can sometimes make it difficult to detect in the early stages of the disease. Therefore, in order to conduct early cancer screening more effectively, there are four key tests that must not be overlooked. These four tests play a crucial role in detecting signs of cancer at an early stage.
Why is cancer sometimes difficult to detect?
Although we often have physical examinations, if we only do some routine check-up items, such as blood pressure measurement, blood test, urine test, etc., although these have important reference value for our health, for the detection of diseases such as cancer, these routine check-up items may be inadequate. They are often not effective in helping us detect the early signs of cancer.
1. Physical examination also has its limitations and shortcomings
For example, some people may think that lung cancer can be detected by taking regular X-rays, and stomach cancer can be prevented by doing a stomach test. But the reality is that these tests have their own limitations and are not 100% guaranteed to detect all cancers.
2. Interpreting the physical examination report is also a major problem
There may be some abnormal indicators in the medical examination report, but for us ordinary people, the meaning behind these indicators may be difficult to understand. For example, if the blood routine, ultrasonography, CT scan, etc., if these tests find abnormalities, they need to be explained by a professional doctor to determine whether it is related to cancer. Therefore, even if we have frequent check-ups, if we ignore these aspects, it is sometimes difficult to detect cancer in time.
3. Some tests can be embarrassing, but they are vital to health and should not be shunned
1. Anal examination, although it may sound a little uncomfortable, it is a simple and effective way to check for rectal cancer. Doctors can directly palpate the end of the rectum and part of the sigmoid colon through digital rectal examination, and can find more than 80% of rectal tumors. Combined with anoscopy, the chance of finding a tumor increases.
2. The fecal occult blood test is also very important, this examination is simple and inexpensive, and it is mainly used to check for colorectal cancer. If the test result is positive, it means that there is a small amount of blood in the stool sample, which may be the first symptom of colorectal cancer or other diseases of the digestive tract. Although this test does not directly determine whether cancer is present, it can provide important clues for further tests, such as colonoscopy.
3. Breast examination is very important for women, including self-examination, clinical examination by doctors, and mammograms, which can help detect breast cancer as early as possible.
Regular gynecological check-ups are also necessary, which include: At the same time, gynecological examinations can also detect signs of disease in other female organs such as ovaries and uterus.
4. Electrocardiogram examination is mainly used to diagnose heart disease, but as a routine physical examination, it can also help us detect heart problems as soon as possible. Although it is not directly related to cancer screening, it is important for our overall health maintenance as part of a comprehensive physical examination.
Specialized testing for high-risk populations
1. For us, gastroscopy is indispensable. Gastroscopy allows us to directly observe the condition of the gastric mucosa, so as to detect early signs of gastric cancer or gastric ulcers in time.
2. If you, then it is necessary to have regular low-dose spiral CT scans. This type of scanning can help us detect the signs of lung cancer earlier.
3. Friends, colonoscopy is very critical for you. With regular colonoscopy, we can effectively detect traces of bowel cancer.
4. If you are, then thyroid color ultrasound examination cannot be ignored. This non-invasive test clearly shows the size and shape of the thyroid gland and can also detect the presence of nodules or other abnormalities.
Although daily check-ups are important for our health management, in the face of such an elusive disease as cancer, routine check-ups alone are not enough. We need to be more precise in selecting the right check-up items to greatly reduce the threat of cancer through early screening and treatment. Remember, prevention is always better than cure.
Don't wait for the disease to knock on the door before taking action, we must take the initiative to care for our body, choose the physical examination items wisely, and let the scientific examination become a solid backing for our pursuit of a healthy life. In this way, we can be confident, effectively resist the sneak attack of cancer, and do our best to protect the health of ourselves and our families.