Recommended cancer screenings

What studies found

Colorectal: from 45 to 75 (U.S. Task Force, 2021; American Cancer Society, May 2026). Breast: guidelines differ on when to start. The Task Force (2024) advises a mammogram every two years from 40 to 74; the American Cancer Society (revised July 2026) advises yearly mammograms from 45 to 54, with the option to start at 40; the American College of Physicians (April 2026) advises every two years from 50 to 74. Lung: a yearly low-dose CT from 50 to 80 for people with a 20 pack-year smoking history who currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years (Task Force, 2021); the American Cancer Society (2023) dropped the 15-year limit. Cervical: from 21 to 65 (Task Force, 2018); a 2024 draft adds at-home self-collected HPV tests as an option. The American Cancer Society (revised December 2025) starts at 25, preferably with an HPV test every 5 years.

The catch

Higher-risk people, such as those with a family history or inherited mutations, often need earlier or different screening.

What to do

Make a screening list with your doctor and keep it current.

Sources