Early Detection & Prevention
A large share of cancers respond far better to treatment when they are caught at an early stage. This page covers the national screening programmes, the factors that raise risk, and the approaches that genuinely help with prevention.
- 40 – 69 breast screening — mammogram every two years
- 30 – 65 cervical screening — HPV test every five years
- 50 – 70 bowel screening — faecal occult blood every two years
Why does early detection matter so much?
A cancer caught early has not yet left the area where it started. That means shorter treatment, usually less intervention, and markedly better outcomes.
Screening is not meant to find people who are already ill: it is meant to catch changes that have not yet produced symptoms in people who feel perfectly well. "I have no complaints" is therefore not a reason to put it off.
Some screening allows action before cancer even develops. Treating the pre-cancerous changes found in cervical screening can prevent the disease from ever appearing.
National screening programmes
The Ministry of Health runs these free screening programmes through KETEM centres and family practices.
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Breast
Mammography
Women aged 40 to 69 are offered a mammogram every two years. Those with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer may start earlier, and additional methods such as MRI may be added.
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Cervical
HPV test
Women aged 30 to 65 are offered an HPV test every five years. If negative, the next test is in five years; if positive, further investigation follows. HPV vaccination complements screening rather than replacing it.
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Bowel
Faecal occult blood
Between 50 and 70, a faecal occult blood test every two years is recommended, along with a colonoscopy every ten years. Screening starts earlier for those with a family history of bowel cancer.
A monthly habit
Breast self-examination
Self-examination does not replace the screening programme, but it teaches you your own body. The person most likely to notice a change first is usually you.
It is best done once a month, a few days after a period ends. Women who have gone through the menopause can pick a fixed day of the month.
- Look at both breasts in the mirror with arms down and then raised
- Watch for dimpling, redness or a change in shape
- Use your fingertips in circular movements over the whole breast and armpit
- Squeeze the nipple gently to check for discharge
- Repeat the same examination lying on your back
- Report any change to a doctor without waiting for the next cycle
Risk factors
A risk factor raises the likelihood of disease but does not by itself cause it. Someone with many risk factors may never develop cancer; someone with none may fall ill.
Knowing them is still useful, because some are entirely within your control. Working on the modifiable ones lowers the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease at the same time.
Protective approaches
What actually helps
No method guarantees you will never develop cancer. But a handful of behaviours reduce the risk substantially and are backed by strong evidence — and most of them improve general health too.
- Stopping smoking — the single most effective step
- Having the HPV and hepatitis B vaccines
- Keeping to a healthy weight
- At least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week
- Limiting alcohol, or avoiding it entirely
- Eating mostly vegetables, fruit, whole grains and pulses
- Cutting down on processed meat
- Protecting your skin from the sun
- Keeping up with screening programmes
- Genetic counselling in high-risk families
Frequently Asked Questions
I have no symptoms — should I still be screened?
Yes. Screening is designed for people without symptoms. By the time symptoms appear the disease is usually more advanced; the whole point is to catch it before that.
Is the radiation from a mammogram harmful?
The dose used in mammography is very low, and the benefit of early detection far outweighs that risk. That calculation is precisely what the screening recommendations rest on.
I have had the HPV vaccine — do I still need screening?
Yes. The vaccine protects against the most common high-risk HPV types but not all of them. Vaccination and screening are recommended together.
My screening result was abnormal — do I have cancer?
No. An abnormal result means further investigation is needed. Most of those investigations end with a non-cancerous explanation. What matters is not delaying the follow-up test.
I have a family history — when should I start?
Screening usually starts earlier for people with a family history, and additional methods may be added. The plan depends on the detail of that history and should be set with a doctor.