Early Detection and Treatment Imperative to Cancer Care

Posted by Northtexascancer on December 8th, 2014

There is a lot of attention that is paid to cancer research and subsequent findings related to cancer treatment. There are, of course, a lot of interested parties where advanced treatment is concerned. With more than a million cancer diagnoses every year in the United States alone, there is always a collective eye on what is being done to develop faster, more effective treatments with less risk of side effects. However, there is another equally important piece of the puzzle and that is the development of more accurate diagnostic tools. Finding better ways to detect and diagnose cancer is a big part of the research dollars that are spent - and for good reason. Early detection - and subsequently sooner treatment - goes a very long way towards increasing the odds of a cure.

With especially aggressive cancers such as pancreatic and lung cancer where later stage diagnoses can offer slim chances of survival, early detection is absolutely vital. That’s why so much effort continues to be expended every year towards finding better ways to detect cancer earlier and with more pinpoint accuracy.

Much rests on the shoulders of each of us as well. As a part of protecting ourselves and acting as our own healthcare advocates, we must take part in the yearly screenings that are available to us including mammograms and breast ultrasounds that can detect breast cancer, regular prostate exams for men, yearly cervical exams and pap smears for women, seeing a dermatologist on a regular basis for skin cancer screenings, and the like. In many cases, potential problems can be detected simply because the results of our physical examinations or cancer-specific screenings are different than what they were a year ago. That’s why establishing baselines is important so that our physician can understand what “normal” look like in our body.

Closer attention should be paid to regular screenings if we are someone who is at high risk for developing cancer, such as those who have a family or personal history, smokers, and others who exhibit other risk factors.

Take the time to build a relationship with your doctor and make regular screenings a regular part of your life. Early detection saves lives so be sure you are always on the frontline of your healthcare.

About the Center:
North Texas Cancer Center at Wise County is a Choice Cancer Care facility. This state-of-the-art practice uses cutting-edge techniques to provide patients with the best care available for colon cancer and other types of cancer. Like all of our other centers, we have created a patient friendly atmosphere within the clinic and have staffed our clinic with experienced and qualified medical professionals. Our board certified radiation oncologist. Dr. Greg Garrett lives and practices in Decatur with his 30 years of experience and frequently consults with Dr. Gregory Echt. The North Texas Cancer Center of Wise also offers ample and convenient free parking to all of our patients and family members. To get more information you can visit our site northtexascancercenteratwise.com.