Rung Five

Cancer screening: which tests, from what age

Major U.S. guidelines recommend screening people at average risk for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer, and for lung cancer after heavy smoking. For prostate cancer, testing is a decision to make with your doctor. Where guidelines disagree, each is shown with its date. A family history or inherited risk can mean starting earlier or testing differently.

At a glance

  1. 40 to 74Breast cancerMammogram. Women at average risk.
  2. 21 to 65Cervical cancerHPV test, Pap test, or both. Women and anyone with a cervix.
  3. 45 to 75Colorectal cancerA stool test, colonoscopy or another option. Everyone at average risk.
  4. 50 to 80Lung cancerLow-dose CT scan, every year. People with a heavy smoking history.
  5. 55 to 69Prostate cancerPSA blood test. Men, as a decision with your doctor.

Breast cancer

Mammogram. Women at average risk, 40 to 74 (start age differs by guideline).

What the guidelines say

  • U.S. Task ForceApril 2024Every two years from 40 to 74. Not enough evidence to judge screening at 75 and older.
  • American Cancer Societyrevised July 2026The option of yearly mammograms from 40 to 44, yearly from 45 to 54, then every year or every other year from 55.
  • American College of PhysiciansApril 2026Every two years from 50 to 74.

Higher risk. The American Cancer Society advises a yearly MRI as well as a mammogram, typically from 30, for women at high risk: for example a lifetime risk of about 20% to 25% or more, a BRCA1 or BRCA2 change, or chest radiation before 30.

Dense breasts. Every U.S. mammogram summary now says whether your breasts are dense. There isn’t yet enough evidence to say whether extra MRI or ultrasound helps when density is your only added risk.

Rated in our evidence register

Breast cancer, step by step
Sources (4)
USPSTF: breast cancer screening, final recommendation, April 2024American Cancer Society recommendations for the early detection of breast cancer (revised July 2026)American College of Physicians breast screening guidance, April 2026 (HealthDay)FDA: mammography rule requiring breast density notification (enforced September 2024)

Cervical cancer

HPV test, Pap test, or both. Women and anyone with a cervix, 21 to 65 (from 25 in the American Cancer Society guideline).

What the guidelines say

  • U.S. Task ForceAugust 2018, being updatedA Pap test every 3 years from 21 to 29. From 30 to 65, a Pap test every 3 years, an HPV test every 5 years, or both together every 5 years. Stop after 65 if past screening was adequate and you aren’t at high risk.
  • U.S. Task Force draftDecember 2024, not yet finalAdds an HPV test you collect yourself, every 5 years, as an option from 30 to 65.
  • American Cancer Societyrevised December 2025Start at 25. The preferred test is an HPV test every 5 years, collected by a clinician. A self-collected HPV test every 3 years, both tests together every 5 years, or a Pap test alone every 3 years are the alternatives. You can stop at 65 if your recent tests were normal.

Not needed. The Task Force advises against screening before 21, and after a hysterectomy that removed the cervix unless you have had cervical cancer or a high-grade precancer.

Already vaccinated. You still need screening. The HPV vaccine greatly lowers the risk of cervical cancer but doesn’t remove it.

Rated in our evidence register

Sources (4)
USPSTF: cervical cancer screening, final recommendation, August 2018USPSTF draft cervical screening including self-collectionAmerican Cancer Society guideline for cervical cancer screening (revised December 2025)HPV vaccination and invasive cervical cancer, NEJM 2020

Colorectal cancer

A stool test, colonoscopy or another option. Everyone at average risk, 45 to 75.

What the guidelines say

  • U.S. Task ForceMay 2021From 45 to 75. From 76 to 85, an individual decision with your doctor.
  • American Cancer SocietyMay 2026From 45, stopping after 85. Options: a FIT or guaiac stool test every year, a stool DNA or RNA test every 3 years, CT colonography or flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years, or colonoscopy every 10 years. Blood tests only for people who won’t do any of these.

After a positive test. A positive stool or blood test needs a follow-up colonoscopy, preferably within 6 months.

Higher risk. A parent, sibling or child with colorectal cancer doubles your risk, and inherited conditions such as Lynch syndrome mean starting much earlier.

Rated in our evidence register

Colorectal cancer, step by step
Sources (4)
USPSTF: colorectal cancer screening, final recommendation, May 2021American Cancer Society colorectal screening guideline update, May 2026National Cancer Institute: colorectal cancer prevention (PDQ), May 2025American Cancer Society: genetic tests for colorectal cancer risk

Lung cancer

Low-dose CT scan, every year. People with a heavy smoking history, 50 to 80.

What the guidelines say

  • U.S. Task ForceMarch 2021Yearly from 50 to 80 for people with a 20 pack-year history (for example, a pack a day for 20 years) who smoke now or quit within the past 15 years.
  • American Cancer SocietyNovember 2023The same, without the 15-year limit on how long ago you quit.

Often missed. Only 18.7% of eligible U.S. adults were up to date with lung screening in 2024.

Rated in our evidence register

Lung cancer, step by step
Sources (3)
USPSTF: lung cancer screening, final recommendation, March 2021American Cancer Society lung screening guideline, November 2023 (ASCO Post)Only 1 in 5 eligible U.S. adults had lung cancer screening in 2024, JAMA (AuntMinnie)

Prostate cancer

PSA blood test. Men, as a decision with your doctor, 55 to 69 (a baseline test from 45 in the urology guideline).

What the guidelines say

  • U.S. Task Force2018, being updatedAn individual decision from 55 to 69, after talking through benefits and harms. Against routine screening at 70 and older.
  • American Urological Association2026Doctors may offer a baseline PSA between 45 and 50.

Higher risk. Men with a family history and Black men face higher risk and have more reason to start the conversation early.

Rated in our evidence register

Prostate cancer, step by step
Sources (2)
USPSTF prostate screening statement, JAMA 2018AUA Early Detection of Prostate Cancer guideline, 2026

Newer blood tests aren’t a substitute

Blood tests that look for signs of cancer are sold as screening. Neither has been shown to lower cancer deaths, so use them, if at all, on top of the recommended tests above.

Rated in our evidence register

Before your appointment

Make a screening list with your doctor and keep it current. Print this page to take with you, or see every option we rated, including the ones that don’t hold up.