Cancer Screening on a Budget

Several celebrities as of late have been diagnosed with and/or died from cancer. On the one hand when this happens, it can elevate one's awareness of this dreaded disease and on the other, we may quickly distance ourselves from concern so long as it is "someone else" who has been affected. There is a way to therapeutically apply the anxiety that may be provoked under these circumstances. Get yourself or a loved one screened for age- and sex-appropriate cancers!

While there are at least fifty different kinds of cancers, breast, colon, lung and prostate are the most prominent and potentially some of the most lethal. Major cancer risks for men and women are colon (56,290 deaths per year) and lung cancer (163,510 deaths per year). Breast cancer causes 40,800 deaths per year and prostate cancer causes 30,350 deaths per year. While there is yet no clear strategy for preventing these cancers, the good news is that the cancers that do the most harm (with the exception of lung cancer) are detectable at stages when they are more responsive to treatment and have a better chance for a cure.

One of my big concerns is as the number of uninsured Americans continues to rise as well as the number of underinsured. There is good reason to be fearful that people with early stages of cancer will not be screened due to the perceived expense. As a consequence, by the time their disease becomes apparent, it may be too late to do anything.

While not cheap, if one is willing to spend a few hundred dollars peace of mind can be purchased on a budget. First begin with a visit to your family physician.

• A level 3 visit to discuss cancer screening and an associated physical examination should cost about $100.00.
• Breast cancer screening should begin with a yearly mammogram starting at age 40. That will cost about $300.
• An inexpensive strategy for colon cancer is annual screening with fecal occult blood cards. A set of three of these will set you back about $37.00.
• Prostate cancer screening should begin at age 50 for most men with a blood test called the PSA. That is about $135.00.
• While there is no best way to screen for lung cancer, a chest x-ray is often the source of the initial diagnosis. If you are a heavy smoker and/or are exposed to toxic fumes and chemicals, you may want to ask about this. The cost is about $200.

When you do the math, annual screening for women should run $440.00 and for men $280.00, or about $1.00 per day. Toss in a chest x-ray and the totals are $640.00 and $480.00 respectively. If you identify yourself as having no insurance, but willing to pay cash at the beginning of your inquiry, you might be surprised to learn that reduced prices and special payment plans are available.

So - for about the cost of a 30 inch TV or your annual cable TV bill - peace of mind is affordable. In a worst-case scenario, a treatable cancer might be diagnosed. Surely many of us can afford to take our lives into our own hands and act now to live longer and healthier. This is also great opportunity for children to give a creative and loving birthday or anniversary present. There is no time like the present.

"Your Health" provides easy-to-understand information about common health conditions.