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Cancer Screening: Your Early Detection Plan

Cancer screening can help find cancer early, when treatment is often more effective. In some cases, screening can even help prevent cancer before it starts. Samaritan offers programs and services to help you stay up to date with recommended screenings for colorectal, breast and lung cancer.

Cancer death rates in the United States have reached an all-time low, due in large part to prevention, screening, early detection and advances in treatment.

Take a proactive role in your health by getting screened when the time is right for you.

Screening	General Starting Age
Colorectal Cancer	Age 45
Breast Cancer	Around age 40 (talk with your provider)
Lung Cancer	Based on age and smoking history

Individual recommendations may vary based on your personal and family health history. Talk with your health care provider about what’s right for you.

Colorectal Cancer Screening

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., but it is often preventable. Screening can often find early signs or even stop cancer before it starts.

When to Start & Why

Most adults should begin screening at age 45.
When colorectal cancer is found early, it can be easier to treat. Chances of survival can reach upwards of 91%, compared to much lower success when the cancer is found later.
Getting screened is one of the best ways to protect your health and it can save your life.

Your Testing Options

Several screening test options exist. Selection is often determined based on patient preference or health risk factors.

Colonoscopy

Screening is every 10 years (if results are normal).
This is the most accurate test and the only one where polyps can be removed during the exam.

FIT-DNA (also known as Cologuard)

Screening is every three years (if results are normal).
You collect a stool sample at home and send it to a lab to check for DNA changes and hidden blood in the stool which may be linked to cancer.

FIT (fecal immunochemical test)

Screening is every year (if results are normal).
You collect a stool sample at home and send it to a lab to check for hidden blood.

Choose the Screening Option That’s Right for You

Understand the screening options available to you.
Discuss your screening choices with your provider.
Complete the screening that best fits your needs.
Continue routine screening to help protect your health.

Video: Colorectal Cancer Screening:
What You Need to Know

Learn more about these three options for screening. Understand why starting colorectal screening at 45 is important for anyone with average risk.

Breast Cancer Screening

Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women, with approximately one in eight women expected to develop the disease during their lifetime. It accounts for nearly 30% of all new cancer diagnoses in women, making regular screening an important part of preventive health care.

Screening Options & When to Start

There are many ways to test for breast cancer: mammograms, breast ultrasound or MRI, and genetic tests. Mammograms continue to remain the gold standard approach.

There are several respected medical organizations that produce guidelines for when to have a screening mammogram. The American Cancer Society recommends the following for women at average risk of developing breast cancer:

40 to 44 years, screening can begin and is recommended annually thereafter.
45 to 54 years, screening every year.
55+ years, switch to screening every two years or continue yearly.
Screenings should continue if you are in good health and expect to live at least 10 more years.

It is also important to know what is normal for your breasts. If you find something unusual or may be at higher risk, talk with your doctor.

Early Detection Starts With You

Talk with your provider about when to begin screening and whether a mammogram is right for you.
Schedule and complete your screening mammogram.
Stay up to date with routine screenings to support your long-term health.

Take the Next Steps

Lung Cancer Screening

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in men and women and is the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.

Often lung cancer goes undetected until symptoms present, which means it’s reached a more advanced stage, making it harder to treat. That is why the lung cancer screening program may benefit higher-risk patients that are not yet showing signs or symptoms.

Samaritan’s Lung Cancer Screening Program

Launched in 2022
Has grown from being offered at a single clinic to now available across Samaritan’s tri county region

Eligibility Criteria

More than a 20 pack-year smoking history
Current smoker or quit within 15 years
Asymptomatic for lung cancer
No chest CT in the past 12 months
Medically able and willing to undergo treatment
Life expectancy of more than one year

Getting Started & What to Expect

Most patients access the program by having a conversation with their primary care provider about screening.
Eligible patients receive a low-dose CT scan that takes only seconds, plus ongoing support from Samaritan’s lung cancer screening team.

Assess Your Risk and Find Support

Calculate your lung cancer risk with this Self-assessment Risk Calculator.
Register for our 8-week Freedom From Smoking course. Participants design a personal action plan and learn behavior modification including coping skills, how to decrease cravings and manage stress.

What If Cancer Is Discovered?

If cancer is found, you won’t face it alone. The Samaritan Cancer Program brings together experienced specialists, advanced treatment options and supportive services to guide patients and their loved ones through every stage of care. Our team works closely with you to answer questions, explain treatment options and help you make informed decisions with confidence. With locations across the mid-Willamette Valley and Central Oregon Coast, we strive to keep expert cancer care close to home.