Health experts recommend keeping up with routine exams to catch cancer early

RICE LAKE, Wis. (WEAU) - Health Experts say it’s important to keep up to date with routine exams in order to catch things like cancer early.

Doctor Meghan Pesko is a physician with Marshfield Medical Center in Rice Lake.

She says there are a variety of routine medical screenings that are available.

You can get a mammogram to screen for breast cancer or a colonoscopy to catch cancer-causing polyps.

Pesko also says there are exams for cervical cancer and prostate cancer too, just to name a few.

She says depending on the type of screening and patient history, recommendations can vary including how often an exam is needed.

“Some guidelines might be a little more lenient and allow you to screen every other year,” Dr. Pesko said. “Again, that’s a conversation you should probably have with your doctor. We can kind of individualize our recommendations based on kind of your risk factors, your family history, and kind of your personal values.”

Pesko says things like the pandemic and events in someone’s personal life could have prevented them from getting routine exams.

She recommends if it’s been a while, to check with your primary care physician to see if you’re due for any screenings.

Pesko adds you shouldn’t wait until something is wrong to get a check-up.

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