Make Cancer Screening Part of Your Health Plan This Year

If you have been putting off cancer screening, one small step can replace uncertainty with a clear plan. Ask which screenings you need, schedule a mammogram, or find out whether you qualify for lung screening.

Even when screening is on your radar, questions about timing, cost, referrals or what to expect can make it harder to take the next step. Feeling uncertain or nervous is understandable. A year of waiting  can mean another year without the information that helps  you make decisions about your health. 

Moving forward with screenings now provides  clarity, helps you understand your options and gives you the opportunity to act earlier if something needs attention. Clear information and convenient local options can make that first step feel more manageable.

Your screening plan is personal. Your age, family history, smoking history, previous results and other risk factors all help determine which screenings may be right for you. If a recent health risk assessment showed an elevated risk, that result is not a diagnosis. It is a starting point for a conversation with a primary care provider about what screening or follow-up may be appropriate.

Why Staying on Schedule Matters

Cancer screening is designed to look for certain cancers before symptoms appear. When screening is delayed again, more time passes without the information you need to make decisions about your health.

Finding cancer earlier may allow treatment to begin sooner and may create more care options. Staying on schedule is not about completing every screening at once. It is about knowing which screening is due next and taking one manageable step toward completing it.

A primary care provider can point you toward one of our health risk assessments, help you review your individual risk, understand what is recommended and connect you with screening options across Tennessee and Georgia.

Which Cancer Screenings Might You Need?

Some of common cancer screenings include:

• Breast cancer screening: During a mammogram, a technologist positions each breast between two plates while X-ray images are taken. You may feel brief pressure or discomfort. Annual mammograms are generally recommended beginning at age 40, though timing may vary based on personal risk.

  • When to expect results: Mammogram results are usually ready within 10 days. The care team may contact you sooner or ask you to return if additional images are needed. 

• Colorectal cancer screening: Options include take-home stool tests and colonoscopy. A colonoscopy requires preparation beforehand and uses a flexible camera to examine the colon while you are sedated. Colorectal cancer screenings are typically recommended beginning at age 45 for adults at average risk.

• Cervical cancer screening: A Pap test, HPV test or both may be performed during a pelvic exam. A clinician uses a small brush or swab to collect cells from the cervix. The type and timing of screening depend on your age, previous results and the test used.

  • When to expect results: Pap test results are usually ready within one to two weeks. Talk with your clinician for a more accurate understanding of the timeframe. 

• Lung cancer screening: A low-dose CT scan uses detailed X-ray images to look at the lungs. You lie on a table that moves through a scanner and may be asked to hold your breath briefly. This screening may be recommended for adults ages 50–80 who have a history of smoking.

  • When to expect results: Complete low-dose CT results are generally shared within one or two days.

• Prostate cancer screening: Screening often begins with a PSA blood test. A clinician may also recommend a digital rectal exam. Men may want to begin a conversation about screening around ages 45–50, depending on their risk factors.

• Skin cancer checks: During a skin exam, a clinician looks for unusual moles, spots or other changes. A skin exam may be helpful if you have significant sun exposure, changing moles or other risk factors.

A primary care provider can review your health history and help you decide which screenings are appropriate. Result turnaround times vary by location and test. Ask how and when results will be shared ahead of time. 

Breast Cancer Screening Made More Convenient

The MaryEllen Locher Breast Center offers screening locations in Chattanooga, Hixson, Ooltewah and Ringgold, giving patients several options across the region.

Services include:

• 3D mammography

• Convenient locations

• No clinician order needed for a routine screening mammogram

• Many insurance plans are accepted; confirm your coverage before scheduling

CommonSpirit – Memorial Hospital also brings breast screening into local communities through its mobile mammography program. Mobile Health Coaches travel across 28 counties in Tennessee and Georgia to provide screenings at workplaces, community organizations and other convenient locations.

Walk-ins may be available. The coaches are staffed by certified female technologists who focus on patient comfort.

Mobile Lung Screening Helps Bring Care Closer

CommonSpirit – Memorial Hospital’s Breathe Easy mobile lung CT coach brings low-dose CT screening to communities across the region.

You may qualify if you:

• Are between ages 50 and 80

• Currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years

• Have at least a 20 pack-year smoking history

• Do not have symptoms of lung cancer

• Have not had a chest CT within the past 12 months

Walk-ins may be accepted, and most insurance plans are accepted. Financial assistance and grant support may also be available for eligible patients.

A clinician can help you understand whether lung cancer screening is appropriate for you.

Common Questions About Cancer Screening

Do I need a referral?

A routine screening mammogram at the MaryEllen Locher Breast Center does not require a clinician’s order. Insurance referral or authorization requirements may vary, and other screenings may require an order from a health care provider.

How long will the screening take?

Some screenings can be completed during a short appointment, while others require preparation or more time. For common screenings like mammograms and low-dose lung CT scans, you can expect the screening to take between 25 to 30 minutes. 

To plan your day around your screening, consider asking your clinician: 

• How long the appointment will take

• Whether you need to prepare in advance

• Whether you will need someone to drive you

• When results are usually available

Knowing what to expect can make planning easier.

Will insurance cover it?

Many recommended cancer screenings are covered by insurance, but coverage depends on the test, your age, your risk factors and your health plan.

Before scheduling, contact your insurer to confirm coverage. You can also ask the screening location about financial assistance, grant support or other available resources.

What if I feel nervous about the results?

Feeling uncertain about screening is common. An abnormal result does not always mean cancer. It may simply mean that more information or follow-up testing is needed.

Screening provides useful information and helps your care team recommend the next step. You will not have to navigate that process alone.

Make the First Step Simple

We understand that life can get busy and finding time for screenings can be difficult. Start with one manageable action:

• Ask your primary care provider which screenings are due

• Schedule a mammogram at the MaryEllen Locher Breast Center

• Look for a mobile health coach event near you

• Ask whether you qualify for mobile lung screening

• Check your insurance coverage

• Add the appointment to your calendar

One conversation can help turn uncertainty into a clear plan.

Stay Ahead of Cancer

Staying current with cancer screening is one way to take an active role in your health. You may still have questions about timing, cost or which screening comes next. That is okay.

CommonSpirit – Memorial Hospital offers cancer screening services throughout Tennessee and Georgia, including convenient breast screening locations, mobile mammography and mobile lung screening.

Learn which screenings may be right for you and find a primary care provider near you.