Cancer Screening Guidelines by Age
The choices you make about diet, exercise, and other habits can affect your overall health as well as your risk for developing cancer and other serious diseases.
It’s also important to follow recommendations for cancer screening tests. Screening tests are used to find cancer in people who have no symptoms. Regular screening gives you the best chance of finding cancer early when it’s small and before it has spread.
The tabs below provide information on healthy lifestyle choices that can help lower your cancer risk, and cancer screening test recommendations by age.
- All ages
- 21-29
- 30-39
- 40-49
- 50-64
- 65 or older
Healthy Lifestyle Choices for Everyone
Stay away from tobacco
There is no safe form of tobacco. If you smoke cigarettes or use other types of tobacco products, it's best to stop. It's also important to stay away from tobacco smoke (secondhand smoke). Both using tobacco products and being exposed to tobacco smoke can cause cancer as well as many other health problems. If you don't use tobacco products, you can help others by encouraging the people around you to quit. Call us at 1-800-227-2345 for help, or see How to Quit Smoking or Smokeless Tobacco to learn more about quitting.
Get to and stay at a healthy weight
Being overweight or obese can increase your risk for many types of cancer. You can control your weight with the choices you make about healthy eating and exercise:
- Avoiding excessive weight gain throughout life
- Balance the calories you take in with the amount of physical activity you do
If you are overweight, try to get to a healthy weight and stay there. Losing even a small amount of weight has health benefits and is a good place to start. Watching your portion sizes is an important part of weight control – especially for foods high in fat and sugar. Low-fat and fat-free doesn’t always mean low-calorie, so read labels and try to eat vegetables, fruits, and whole grains in the place of higher-calorie foods.
Get moving
Adults: Each week, get at least 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity (or a combination of these). Getting to or doing more than the upper limit of 300 minutes is ideal.
Children and teens: Get at least 1 hour of moderate or vigorous intensity activity every day.
Moderate activity is anything that makes you breathe as hard as you do during a brisk walk. During moderate activities, you’ll notice a slight increase in heart rate and breathing. You should be able to talk, but not sing during the activity.
Vigorous activities are performed at a higher intensity. They cause an increased heart rate, sweating, and a faster breathing rate.
Don’t be a couch potato - limit the amount of time you spend sitting or lying down.
Doing some physical activity above usual activities, no matter what one’s level of activity, can have many health benefits.
Eat healthy
Follow a healthy eating pattern that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and limits or avoids red and processed meats, sugary drinks, and highly processed foods
It's best not to drink alcohol
If you do drink, have no more than 1 drink per day for women or 2 per day for men
A drink is 12 ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1 ½ ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.
See our Guideline on Diet and Physical Activity for more information.
If you are 21 to 29, here's what you need to know about screening tests for certain cancers:
Colon Cancer Testing
Find out if you are at higher than average risk for colon cancer because of family history, genetic disorders, or other factors. If not, then testing is not needed at this time. If you are at increased risk, talk to a health care provider about when you need to start testing and what tests are right for you.
Breast Cancer Testing
All women should know how their breasts normally look and feel and report any changes to a health care provider right away. Find out if you are at higher than average risk for breast cancer. If not, then testing is not needed at this time. If you are, talk to a health care provider about when you need to start getting mammograms or other screening tests.
Cervical Cancer Testing
No test is needed before age 25.
Starting 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. (*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.
Follow testing recommendations even if you've been vaccinated against HPV.
You don't need testing after surgery that removed the cervix as long as it was done for reasons not related to cervical cancer or pre-cancer.
If you are 30 to 39, these screening tests for certain cancers might be recommended for you:
Colon Cancer Testing
Find out if you are at higher than average risk for colon cancer because of family history, genetic disorders, or other factors. If not, then testing is not needed at this time. If you are at increased risk, talk to a health care provider about when you need to start testing and what tests are right for you.
Breast Cancer Testing
All women should know how their breasts normally look and feel and report any changes to a health care provider right away. Find out if you are at higher than average risk for breast cancer. If not, then testing is not needed at this time. If you are, talk to a health care provider about when you need to start getting mammograms or other screening tests.
Cervical Cancer Testing
People with a cervix should get 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. (*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.
Follow testing recommendations even if you've been vaccinated against HPV.
You don't need testing after surgery that removed the cervix as long as it was done for reasons not related to cervical cancer or pre-cancer.
People with a history of a serious cervical pre-cancer should continue testing for 25 years after that diagnosis.
If you are 40 to 49, these screening tests for certain cancers are recommended:
Colon Cancer Testing
All people at average risk should start testing at age 45. There are several testing options. Talk with a health care provider about which tests are best for you and how often testing should be done.
If you're younger than 45, find out if you are at higher than average risk for colon cancer because of family history, genetic disorders, or other factors. If not, then testing is not needed at this time. If you are at increased risk, talk to a health care provider about when you need to start testing and what tests are right for you.
Breast Cancer Testing
Women ages 40 to 44 should have the choice to start annual breast cancer screening with mammograms if they wish to do so. The pros and cons of screening should be considered when making this decision.
Starting at age 45, women should get mammograms every year.
It’s important to know if you are at higher than average risk for breast cancer. If you are, talk to a health care provider about when you need to start getting mammograms and whether you need to get other tests along with your mammograms.
It's also important to know how your breasts normally look and feel and to report any changes to a health care provider right away.
Cervical Cancer Testing
People with a cervix should get 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. (*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.
Follow testing recommendations even if you’ve been vaccinated against HPV.
You don't need testing after surgery that removed the cervix as long as it was done for reasons not related to cervical cancer or pre-cancer
People with a history of a serious cervical pre-cancer should continue testing for 25 years after that diagnosis.
Prostate Cancer Testing
Starting at age 45, men at higher than average risk of prostate cancer should talk with a doctor about the uncertainties, risks, and potential benefits of testing so they can decide if they want to be tested. This includes African American men and men with close family members (father, brother, son) who had prostate cancer before age 65.
Men with more than one close relative who had prostate cancer before age 65 are at even higher risk and should talk with a doctor about testing starting at age 40.
If you are 50 to 64, these screening tests for certain cancers are recommended:
Colon Cancer Testing
All people at average risk should start testing at age 45, so talk to your health care provider if you haven't started yet. There are several testing options. Talk with a health care provider about which tests are best for you and how often testing should be done.
Lung Cancer Testing
People ages 50 to 80 should get yearly lung cancer screening with a low-dose CT (LDCT) scan if they smoke or used to smoke, and if they have at least a 20 pack-year history of smoking. (A pack-year is equal to smoking 1 pack or about 20 cigarettes per day for a year. For example, a person could have a 20 pack-year history by smoking 1 pack a day for 20 years, or by smoking 2 packs a day for 10 years.)
Before deciding to be screened, people should discuss with their healthcare provider the purpose of screening, how it is done, and the benefits, limits, and possible harms of screening. People who still smoke should be counseled about quitting and offered resources to help them quit.
Breast Cancer Testing
Women ages 50 to 54 should get mammograms every year. Be sure you understand the pros and cons of breast cancer screening.
Starting at age 55, you should switch to getting mammograms every 2 years, or you can continue to get one every year.
It’s important to know if you are at higher than average risk for breast cancer. If you are, talk to a health care provider about whether you need to get other tests done along with your mammograms.
It's also important to know how your breasts normally look and feel and to report any changes to a health care provider right away.
Cervical Cancer Testing
People with a cervix should get 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. (*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.
No testing is needed after surgery that removed the cervix as long as it was done for reasons not related to cervical cancer or pre-cancer.
People with a history of a serious cervical pre-cancer should continue testing for 25 years after that diagnosis.
Prostate Cancer Testing
Starting at age 50, all men at average risk should talk with a health care provider about the uncertainties, risks, and potential benefits of testing so they can decide if they want to be tested.
If you are 65 or older, these screening tests for certain cancers are covered by Medicare and are recommended:
Colon Cancer Testing
Testing is recommended up through age 75. People aged 76 to 85 should talk with their health care provider about whether continuing screening is right for them. Most people older than 85 should no longer be screened. If you are being screened, there are many testing options. Talk with a health care provider about which tests are best for you and how often testing should be done.
Lung Cancer Testing
People ages 50 to 80 should get yearly lung cancer screening with a low-dose CT (LDCT) scan if they smoke or used to smoke, and if they have at least a 20 pack-year history of smoking. (A pack-year is equal to smoking 1 pack or about 20 cigarettes per day for a year. For example, a person could have a 20 pack-year history by smoking 1 pack a day for 20 years, or by smoking 2 packs a day for 10 years.)
Before deciding to be screened, people should discuss with their healthcare provider the purpose of screening, how it is done, and the benefits, limits, and possible harms of screening. People who still smoke should be counseled about quitting and offered resources to help them quit.
Breast Cancer Testing
You should get a mammogram every 2 years, or you can choose to get one every year. Be sure you understand the pros and cons of breast cancer screening.
It’s important to know if you are at higher than average risk for breast cancer. If you are, talk to a health care provider about whether you need to get other tests done along with your mammograms.
It's also important to know how your breasts normally look and feel and to report any changes to a health care provider right away.
Cervical Cancer Testing
No testing is needed if you’ve had regular cervical cancer testing with normal results during the previous 10 years.
No testing is needed after surgery that removed the cervix as long as it was done for reasons not related to cervical cancer or pre-cancer.
People with a history of a serious cervical pre-cancer should continue testing for 25 years after that diagnosis.
Prostate Cancer Testing
Overall health status, and not age alone, is important when making decisions about prostate cancer testing. Men who can expect to live at least 10 more years should talk with a health care provider about the uncertainties, risks, and potential benefits of testing so they can decide if they want to be tested.
