Name and briefly describe three screening or diagnostic tests used for detecting or diagnosing cancer

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Should include three of the following (or others if students are familiar with others not discussed in this chapter).
• Colonoscopy uses a scope to see inside the colon to look for polyps or tumors.
• Fecal occult blood test tests fecal samples for blood, which could indicate a cancerous tumor
• CT colonography looks for tumors in the colon or rectum. CT scans can be performed on other areas of the body to look for tumors and other abnormalities that may indicate cancer.
• Breast self-examination is a self-examination to detect suspicious lumps that could be cancerous.
• Mammogram is an x-ray of the breast to detect tumors.
• Digital rectal exam (DRE) is a manual examination performed by a health care provider to detect tumors on the prostate gland or an enlarged prostate.
• Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is a blood test to detect elevated levels of a specific substance (prostate-specific antigen), which is associated with prostate cancer.
• Testicular self-exam is a self-examination to feel for suspicious lumps that could be cancerous.
• Pap test is a clinical laboratory test for cervical cancer.
• Genetic tests examine DNA from blood samples to determine if cancer-specific gene mutations exist.
• Laboratory tests are conducted on various tissue, blood, urine, or stool samples to detect abnormal (cancerous) cells.