Screening and Detection
Some cancers remain in the body for many years without showing signs or symptoms. Others can grow and spread rapidly and are fatal within a short period of time. Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis as to whether or not you have cancer.
If a person does not have any symptoms or conditions that may lead to cancer, the tests and examinations a doctor will undertake are called screening. A doctor will consider many factors before recommending a screening test. For example, the health of the individual, the person's age, medical history, the accuracy and risks of the test, and the type of cancer that the test is intended to detect. The doctor will look at these facts and make an informed decision for that individual as to the most appropriate screening test.
If there are symptoms or signs present that indicate that a person may have cancer the doctor will make a diagnosis. A diagnosis is the process of determining the nature of a disease by noting all signs, symptoms, medical background and results of pathology tests (such as a biopsy) and imaging examinations (such as an endoscopy or X-ray).
