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The best way to stay healthy through your 50s and beyond? Be proactive. If you’re fortunate to have good health, don’t be tempted to take it for granted. Make an effort to eat healthy foods, incorporate activity into your daily life, and work with your doctor to maintain regular health screenings.
Health screening tests help healthcare professionals identify illness early in the disease process–often, before any symptoms appear. Early detection allows earlier treatment, when it’s often easiest to intervene and preserve good health. It’s completely normal to feel a little nervous about screening tests, but screening allows you and your healthcare team to address most health problems before they become big issues. These health screenings are recommended for women between the ages of 50 and 59:
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Physical exam. Although there’s no clear consensus on how often a healthy woman needs a complete physical exam, it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment with your primary care provider when you’re healthy. Most health insurance companies cover a yearly physical exam anyway, so why not take advantage of it? During your physical, your healthcare provider will assess your health, review your medical history, answer questions and help you figure out which health screening tests and screening frequency makes the most sense for you, given your personal health and history. Many simple screening tests can also be performed during this visit.
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Blood pressure screening. High blood pressure is often called the “silent killer” because you rarely experience symptoms, which makes regular screening critical for early detection. If your blood pressure is in the normal range (less than 120/80), you don’t need it checked for another two years; every other year is fine for low-risk adults with normal blood pressure. If your blood pressure is on the high side–more than 120 on top and more than 81 on the bottom–it should be checked yearly.
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Diabetes screening. Should you be screened for diabetes? If you are overweight, inactive, have ever had a baby that weighed more than 9 pounds at birth, have high blood pressure, polycystic ovarian syndrome, or a family history of heart disease or diabetes, the answer is an unequivocal yes. If you have no risk factors and are in good health, you might decline diabetes screening. But given that the screening is so easy–a simple blood draw, to check your blood glucose level– and the potential consequences of untreated diabetes, so high, it’s a test worth considering and discussing with your doctor.
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Cholesterol screening. Many healthcare providers routinely check adults’ cholesterol levels during physical exams. But the most recent evidence suggests you can skip cholesterol screening if you’re not at increased risk of heart disease. If you’re at high risk for heart disease–if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, a family history of heart disease or are inactive, overweight or a smoker–your healthcare provider will likely recommend checking your cholesterol level with a simple blood test. Otherwise, feel free to decline this screening.
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Breast cancer screening. The risk of breast cancer increases with age, so all major healthcare organizations recommend breast cancer screening for women in their 50s. There’s some disagreement about screening interval, though. Some organizations recommend annual screening; some say every other year is adequate. Your healthcare provider can help you determine which screening interval is best for you, given your personal health history and tolerance of risk. Women at increased risk of breast cancer may need additional or more frequent screenings with ultrasound or MRI, in addition to mammograms.
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Cervical cancer screening. Forget the annual Pap-and-pelvic. Experts now recommend a Pap smear every three years, a Pap smear and HPV test every five years, or the HPV test alone every five years to screen for cervical cancer. Women who’ve had a complete hysterectomy (with removal of the cervix) no longer need Pap smears or any other cervical cancer screening.
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Colon cancer. Screening for colon cancer should start at age 50. Don’t put off screening because you’re worried about potential embarrassment or discomfort. There are a wide variety of screening tests now, ranging from invasive tests performed by professionals to simple screening tests performed on stool samples.
Effective colon cancer screening methods include:
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Flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years. This test uses a lighted tube to look inside the lower part of the colon.
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Colonoscopy every ten years. A colonoscopy also uses a lighted tube to view the inside of the colon; the difference is that a colonoscopy looks at the entire colon.
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Barium enema every five years. A barium enema is a special kind of X-ray that allows a physician to look at the inside of the colon.
- Virtual colonoscopy every five years. This test is essentially a CT scan of the colon.
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Fecal occult blood test every year. This low-cost test can be done at home. Simply smear a bit of stool on a special card and send it to your healthcare provider as directed.
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Fecal immunochemical test (FIT) every year. This test also requires you to collect a stool sample and send it to your healthcare provider for analysis.
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Stool DNA test every three years. Another non-invasive test that involves analysis of a stool sample.
Your healthcare provider can help you determine which colon cancer screening is best for you, given your health, health history and healthcare values.
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Lung cancer screening. Are you a smoker or former smoker? The American Cancer Society recommends lung CT scans to screen for lung cancer in smokers or former smokers between the ages of 55 and 75. Women who have a 30 pack-year smoking history (meaning they smoked one pack of cigarettes per day for 30 years, or the equivalent of that–say, 2 packs per day for 15 years) should have an annual low-dose CT scan of the lungs.
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Endometrial (uterine) cancer. Most women don’t need to undergo screening for endometrial cancer. But women who have hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (a special type of colon cancer that runs in some families) or Lynch syndrome are at high risk of endometrial cancer. If you have a strong family history of colon cancer, talk to your healthcare provider. He or she may recommend genetic counseling and/or yearly endometrial biopsies to screen for endometrial cancer.
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STI screening. Sexually transmitted infection (STI) occurs in all age groups. If you have multiple sex partners, are in a nonmonogamous relationship or have had a STI within the last year, you should be screened for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. Experts also recommend HIV screening for all adults up through the age of 65.
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Hepatitis C screening. Hepatitis C is a contagious liver disease that can cause liver failure and liver cancer. It’s caused by a virus, and many people have the virus without knowing it. Screening allows for treatment, which may prevent Hepatitis C from spreading to others and causing serious liver damage. The Centers for Disease Control says all adults born between 1945 and 1965 should have a blood test to screen for Hepatitis C at least once.
Staying up to date on your screenings increases you chances of staying healthy and vibrant for many years to come. Your healthcare provider can help you establish a screening schedule that fits into your life and meets your health needs.
