5 Self-Exams You Can Do at Home for Cancer Prevention
Lindsay Knake
| 3 min read
Lindsay Knake is a brand journalist for Blue Cross B...
Preventive care takes regular effort, including performing self-examinations at home to check for cancer.
By performing self-exams, you can get familiar with your body and notice any changes over time. Early detection of health conditions such as cancer can help you get into treatment and keep health care costs lower. These are five self-examinations you can do at home in addition to annual physicals with your primary care provider.
Skin exam
Checking for changes in freckles, blemishes, moles or marks on your skin is key in skin cancer prevention, according to the American Cancer Society. To perform a self-exam, use good lighting, a full-length mirror and look over your entire body. Don’t forget to look at your finger and toenails and scalp.
Skin cancers can appear as:
- A rough, scaly red patch
- A mole that changes in shape, color or size
- A new growth or spot on the skin
- A sore that bleeds and doesn’t heal
- A growth like a wart
Perform this self-exam monthly. Keep track of any changes, including what the spot looks like and when, and see your doctor.
Breast exam
Women should be familiar with how their breasts look and feel through a regular self-exam, according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Know the signs of breast cancer, and check each breast for lumps, hardened spots, nipple discharge, swollen lymph nodes and any other changes. Women who are menstruating should perform the exam a few days after their period, while post-menopausal women should do the exams on the same day each month.
Talk to your doctor if there are any changes. This exam should not replace an annual exam or a mammogram.
Testicular exam
While men will have a testicular exam during their annual physical, a monthly exam to check for irregularities or lumps can aid in early cancer detection. In performing the exam, check for smooth, rounded masses, hard lumps or changes in shape, size or consistency. It’s best to perform the exam in or after a shower.
Through the exams, you’ll know what is normal and if something looks different. Talk to your doctor if there are any changes.
Oral exam
Oral hygiene is important for overall physical health, and regular oral exams are a part of that. Your dentist will check your mouth during cleanings, but you can perform a self-exam monthly or so to check for irregularities.
Look inside your mouth at your cheeks, lips, gums, roof of your mouth and top and bottom of your tongue. Check for changes such as red or white spots, lumps or sores that don’t heal. You can also feel your neck for any lumps or swellings. Ongoing pain, numbness and swelling are other signs of oral cancers.
Stool screening test
There are at-home tests for colorectal cancers that don’t require the prep work for a colonoscopy. If you are at higher risk of colorectal cancers, using one of the three-approved kits can be a way to provide an extra check:
- The guaiac-based fecal occult blood test (gFOBT), which is typically done once a year.
- The fecal immunochemical test (FIT), which is also typically an annual test.
- The FIT-DNA test, which is typically done once every three years.
These tests check for blood in the stool. If you receive a positive result, follow up with your primary care provider. These tests should not replace colonoscopies and annual physicals.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan works to provide quality, affordable care to help members live healthier lives, reduce their long-term health risk and ultimately lower their health care costs. Our commitment to preventive care and recommended screenings allows members and their primary care providers to manage health and reduce health risks and prevent health conditions, saving money for everyone.
Image: Getty Images
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