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  According to researchers at the University of California Medical Center, and published in the March issue of Internal Medicine, screening for breast cancer every two years is preferrable to yearly screens when doing mammograms. This was based on a study of 900,000 women. It appears that this applies to women from the age of 50-94. Mammograms picked...

  Dr. Len and Nurse Vicki discuss the pros and cons for a routine colonoscopy for colon cancer screening. In asymptomatic people without a family history of cancer, the risks of doing a colonoscopy may exceed the benefits. Bowel perforations and severe GI bleeding are complications in 1 in 200 tests. Other screening tests are reviewed too.        

Less frequent mammograms for wonem at low risk for breast cancer can be a cost effective way of saving lives. Women with no family history of breast cancer, no previous biopsy and breasts that are not dense need far fewer mammograms than women with these risk factors. For women under the age of 50 without these three risk factors, mammograms are not worthwhile....