What is cancer screening?
Cancer screening is an established method used to look for early signs of cancer in people without symptoms. It can help spot issues at an early stage when treatment is more likely to be successful. If cancer is picked up early, treatment is more likely to work, and therefore increases the chance of survival.
Cancer screening is best suited to people with no symptoms at all. If you have symptoms, don’t wait for a screening invitation – tell your doctor as soon as possible.
General Cancer Screening
For general cancer screening, at Phoenix Hospital Group, we offer a full range of diagnostic and imaging technologies, including CT, MRI, Ultrasound, Dexa, and X-Ray.
You can decide to undergo a screening assessment just for your peace of mind (and in this case, you can start with a general health assessment) or if you have a family history of cancer (here, an Advanced Cancer Screening is more indicated).
A great example of effective cancer screening is a yearly mammogram to check for the presence of breast cancer. This is offered as a national screening program to every woman above 50 years of age. However, research now shows that breast cancer is also common in women between 35 and 50 years old. Therefore, undergoing a yearly screening instead of waiting for the national screening programme is a great idea.
There are also blood tests that you can take to screen for early markers of a few cancer in the blood, however this does not cover all types.
Advanced Cancer Screening
Advanced Cancer Screening at Phoenix Hospital Group uses an innovative new method of MRI scanning known as Whole Body-Diffusion Weighted Imaging (WB-DWI). With this scan, it is possible to diagnose asymptomatic tumors, including those that are not usually the target of conventional screening programmes. The areas analysed include the lungs, colon, prostate, breast, bladder, kidney, liver, and pancreas. In addition, it also screens for lymphomas (tumours of the blood) and myelomas (tumours of the skin).
This state-of-the-art technology allows the radiologist to detect cancer lesions which are small enough for an early diagnosis. Like all MRI scans, this scan does not involve ionizing radiation and does not require the injection of contrast agents. It is a non-invasive assessment with no biological risk. A scan lasts 45 minutes, and our highly experienced and dedicated team will make sure you are as comfortable as possible during the analysis. There is no need to fast beforehand, there is no downtime and no side effects afterward. It is something you can do during your lunch break, but that can have a great impact on your health and your peace of mind.
A recent case study on advanced cancer screening reported very high patient satisfaction following a check-up with the Whole Body-Diffusion Weighted Imaging system. The patient, with a known family history of cancer, was seeking a full body scan to aid with the early detection of cancerous tumours. Following the the Advanced Cancer Screening with Phoenix Hospital Group, the patient discussed their results with our expert radiologists, and their GP was given a detailed report of the findings. The whole service has helped the patient to have peace of mind and to feel more in charge of their health overall.
At Phoenix Hospital Group, we believe that the best cure for many tumours is through early detection and cancer prevention in healthy people.
Prices start from £1950. To book an appointment, please call 0207 079 2100 or email heathscreening@phoenixhospitalgroup.com.
You can click here to find out more information about the Advanced Cancer Screening process.
