Screenings

Early detection is often your best protection against cancer. At CHI Saint Joseph Health, we provide the most advanced screenings available to catch the disease earlier when it’s highly treatable and potentially curable.

For your convenience, screenings are available at our full-service cancer centers throughout Central Kentucky, along with follow-up lab tests, imaging or procedures you may need. We offer flexible appointments to fit your schedule, in a setting designed for your total comfort and privacy. You’ll also find a caring staff committed to making your experience as stress-free as possible.

Learn about a few of our recommended options below. Your primary care provider can help you determine which screenings may be right for you. If you need a primary care provider and would like to request an appointment, call  844.940.4673.

Family history of cancer? We also offer genetic counseling to address hereditary concerns and coordinate testing, if needed.

CHI Saint Joseph Health recommends annual screening mammograms beginning at age 40 for all women, following the long-standing recommendation from the American College of Radiology. If you have a personal or family history of breast cancer, including the BRCA gene, talk to your doctor about getting screened earlier.

At our Breast Imaging Centers of Excellence, we offer all-digital /mammography, producing images that can be magnified to pinpoint specific areas. We also provide 3D /mammography (tomosynthesis) to detect tumors, especially in patients with dense breast tissue.

If your results show anything suspicious, our surgeons specialize in both stereotactic and ultrasound-guided breast biopsy, two minimally invasive alternatives to surgical biopsy to help make a diagnosis. A sample of suspect breast tissue is precisely located with a computer-guided imaging system and removed with a needle. The procedure is completed on an outpatient basis with minimal discomfort and recovery time, and fast and accurate results.

The American Cancer Society recommends at age 25 and through age 65, all people with a cervix should have a primary HPV test* every 5 years. If a primary HPV test is not available in your area, then acceptable options include a co-test (an HPV test done at the same time as a Pap test) every 5 years or a Pap test alone every 3 years. Speak with a primary care provider or OB/GYN to learn more or schedule a screening by calling 859.313.2255.

(*A primary HPV test is an FDA approved test that is done by itself for screening.) The most important thing to remember is to get screened regularly, no matter which test you get.

If you’re 45 or older, or have a family history of colorectal cancer, the most effective way to reduce your risk is to schedule a screening colonoscopy. This test searches for potentially cancerous polyps (abnormal cell growths on the inside lining of the colon or rectum). Catching these polyps early can stop them from ever becoming cancer, or detect the cancer when it’s highly curable.

CHI Saint Joseph Health performs hundreds of colonoscopies every year. Do it for yourself—it’s fast, painless and could help save your life. Contact your Primary Care provider for more information. If you need a primary care provider and would like to request an appointment, call  844.940.4673.

Kentucky continues to lead the nation in lung cancer deaths for both men and women. Symptoms usually don’t appear until the disease has advanced, which is why a screening is so important for high-risk patients. CHI Saint Joseph Health offers low-dose CT scans, a groundbreaking new tool that can catch lung cancer before symptoms show.

During this simple test, the CT scanner uses low doses of radiation to make detailed pictures of the lung. The scan provides incredibly detailed pictures to help our physicians detect tumors. It’s safe, painless and has proven to reduce the risk of lung cancer death by up to 20 percent. To learn more about lung cancer screenings, call 844.940.4673.

CHI Saint Joseph Health encourages men ages older than 50 to get annual prostate cancer screenings, which can help catch this common condition early, when it can be closely monitored or treated. African-American men and those with a family history of prostate cancer should be screened sooner, typically by age 40 or 45.

We offer routine screenings, including a prostate-screening antigen (PSA) blood test, which looks for elevated levels of a protein that may indicate signs of cancer. Your doctor may also perform a digital rectal exam (DRE) to check the prostate for any abnormalities.

Contact your Primary Care provider to learn more about a prostate exam and if it’s right for you. If you need a primary care provider, call 844.940.4673.