How do I get screened?

A Pap test takes a few minutes to complete. During the test, your doctor places a speculum gently inside your vagina. The speculum is a metal or plastic tool that keeps the vagina open so the cervix can be seen clearly. The cervix is a small canal that connects your uterus and vagina. Next, using a small spatula or brush, a sample of cells and mucus is lightly scraped from your cervix. You may feel some discomfort during the test, but it should go away once it is done.

Tips to prepare for your Pap test:

• Don’t douche for 2 to 3 days before the Pap test.
• Don’t have vaginal sex for 2 days before the Pap test.
• Don’t use tampons, birth-control foams or jellies, other vaginal creams, moisturizers, lubricants or vaginal medicines for 2 to 3 days before the Pap test.
• The best time to have a Pap test is at least 5 days after your period stops.
• Try not to schedule your Pap test when you will be on your menstrual period.

A colonoscopy may take 15–30 minutes to complete, but the entire visit (including prep and wait time) can take 1 hour or more. During your colonoscopy, your doctor will use a long, thin, flexible tube with a small camera to look at the inside of your colon. The tube will enter the opening to your intestine (the anus) and move into the lower parts of the large intestine (the rectum and then the colon). Special tools can be passed through the tube to take samples or remove any areas of concern. Your care team will let you know what you can do to ease any discomfort you may feel after the procedure.

Before your colonoscopy, talk with your doctor about:

• Any medicines, vitamins, herbs and supplements you are taking
• Arranging a ride home
• How much time you will need to recover
• How to bowel prep before your colonoscopy
• If you have allergies

The FIT checks for hidden blood in the stool. This test can be done every year, unlike some of the other colon cancer screenings. It can also be done in the privacy of your home. Your doctor will give you supplies such as a test kit, test cards or tubes, long brushes or other collecting devices, waste bags and a mailing envelope. The kit has detailed instructions on how to collect the samples. Keep in mind that different FIT kits will have different instructions.

Tips to collect your FIT samples:

• Be sure to read the instructions that come with your kit before you start.
• Collect your samples as described in the instructions.
• Have all your supplies ready and in one place before you collect your samples.
• If you have any questions about how to use your kit, contact your doctor’s office.

An LDCT scan is painless, and the image only takes about a minute to complete. For this scan, you lie on a thin, flat table that slides inside a large doughnut-shaped machine called a CT scanner. As the table moves into the opening, a computer makes detailed X-ray images of your lungs.

Tips to prepare for your LDCT:

• Don’t wear any jewelry, such as rings, earrings, necklaces or watches.
• You will be asked to remove items that have metal, such as clothes with zippers, hearing aids, eyeglasses, dentures or hairpins because these may interfere with the scan.
• If you are not comfortable in confined (closed-in) spaces, talk with your doctor to learn what can help you feel calm during the scan.