Follow medical screening guidelines.

Some medical tests may help prevent cancer. For example, a fleshy growth in the colon (called a polyp) is usually harmless, but some may develop into cancer. Your doctor can check for polyps during a colonoscopy, and cancer can be prevented by snipping them out before they become cancerous. Other tests, such as mammograms and the blood test for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), help to detect cancers when they are still small and more likely to respond to treatment. Your doctor will recommend which tests to get and how often, based on your family and personal medical history.