Is 2025 time for you to add a health screening?

Are you hitting a milestone birthday in 2025? It may be time for a new health screening. Always talk to your primary care provider about what is best for you and whether you are at higher risk for cancer or other health concerns. 

The following age recommendations come from the US Preventive Services Task Force.  

• Age 21: Women should get Pap tests starting at age 21. This test looks for changes that indicate cervical cancer or potential cervical cancer.  

• Age 40: Women at average risk of breast cancer should start getting mammograms at age 40. 

• Age 45: Men and women at average risk should be screened for colorectal cancer starting at age 45.  

• Age 50: Lung cancer screenings are recommended for people starting at age 50 if they have a 20 pack-year history and currently smoke or have quit in the past 15 years. A “pack-year” is the number of packs per day multiplied by the number of years smoked.

• Age 65: Bone mineral density tests, which check for strong bones, are recommended for women ages 65 and older.   

The decision whether to be tested for prostate cancer is something men should discuss with their primary care provider, according to the American Cancer Society and US Preventive Services Task Force. This could start as early as age 45, for men with a higher-than-average prostate cancer risk, or could be later.