Screening

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Vol. 2 No. 4 (2025)

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Submitted
October 19, 2025
Published
October 19, 2025

Copyright (c) 2025 The American Journal of Patient Health Info

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Screening: How Has It Changed Our Lives?

https://doi.org/10.69512/ajphi.v2i4.159
Amit Khanal, MD, FACP
Department of Internal Medicine, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, NC, USA
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1308-6547
Bibhusan Basnet, MD
Hospitalist Physician, Frye Regional Medical Center, NC, USA
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3948-831X

Corresponding Author(s) : Amit Khanal, MD, FACP

amitkhanal@gmail.com

The American Journal of Patient Health Info, Vol. 2 No. 4 (2025)

Abstract

Screening has quietly reshaped modern medicine by changing the approach from “wait until you are sick” to “catch it early and act fast". Pap smears, mammograms, colonoscopies, and simple blood pressure checks have already saved millions of lives. In 2025, important screenings for cancer, heart health, and diabetes give people the best chance for longer and healthier lives. With new tools and personalized screening on the horizon, prevention is set to become even more powerful.

Keywords

Colonoscopy Framingham Mammograms Pap Smear Screening
Khanal, MD, FACP, A., & Basnet, MD, B. (2025). Screening: How Has It Changed Our Lives? . The American Journal of Patient Health Info, 2(4). https://doi.org/10.69512/ajphi.v2i4.159
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References
  1. Nunn JF. Ancient Egyptian medicine. London: British Museum Press; 1996. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271103109_John_F_Nunn_Ancient_Egyptian_medicine_London_British_Museum_Press_1996_pp_240_illus_2500_0-7141-0981-9
  2. Hippocrates. On Airs, Waters, and Places. 2007 Jan 1;3. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/27249451_On_Airs_Waters_and_Places
  3. Rosen G. A History of Public Health. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2015. https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/11246/history-public-health?srsltid=AfmBOopkWaqVEseKt-eg7ATHBK00NcEdwgVWnSpJh4_cDI6VeM2ztEg_
  4. Papanicolaou GN. A New Procedure for Staining Vaginal Smears. Science. 1942 Apr 24;95(2469):438–9. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.95.2469.438
  5. Winawer SJ, Zauber AG, Ho MN, O’Brien MJ, Gottlieb LS, Sternberg SS, et al. Prevention of Colorectal Cancer by Colonoscopic Polypectomy. New England Journal of Medicine. 1993 Dec 30;329(27):1977–81. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199312303292701
  6. Dawber TR, et al. The Framingham Study: An Epidemiological Investigation of Cardiovascular Disease. Public Health Rep. 1951. https://biolincc.nhlbi.nih.gov/media/studies/framcohort/An_Epidemiological_Investigation_of_Cardiovascular_Disease_(Sections_1-2).pdf
  7. US Preventive Services Task Force. Recommendations. www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org.
  8. Link-Gelles R, Chickery S, Webber A, Ong TC, Rowley EAK, DeSilva MB, et al. Interim Estimates of 2024–2025 COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness Among Adults Aged ≥18 Years — VISION and IVY Networks, September 2024–January 2025. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report [Internet]. 2025 Feb 27;74(6):73–82. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7406a1.htm
  9. Baden LR, El Sahly HM, Essink B. Efficacy and Safety of the mRNA-1273 SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine. New England Journal of Medicine [Internet]. 2020 Dec 30;384(5):403–16. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2035389
  10. Gupta S. Screening for Colorectal Cancer. Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America [Internet]. 2022 Jun 1;36(3):393–414. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889858822000016?via%3Dihub
  11. Krist AH, Davidson KW, Mangione CM, Barry MJ, Cabana M, Caughey AB, et al. Screening for lung cancer: US preventive services task force recommendation statement. JAMA. 2021 Mar 9;325(10):962–70. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2777244
  12. Siu AL. Screening for Breast Cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2016 Jan 12;164(4):279–97. https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M15-2886
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Amit Khanala, Bibhusan Basnetb

a Department of Internal Medicine, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, NC, USA

b Hospitalist Physician, Frye Regional Medical Center, NC, USA

Background

Medicine is the story of humanity’s long fight against illness and suffering. It began thousands of years ago with the first healers,  who eased pain using herbs, poultices, and careful observation. In ancient Egypt, medical papyri described how to clean wounds and apply natural remedies. [1] Centuries later, in Greece around 400 BCE, Hippocrates taught physicians to watch closely, listen carefully, and seek natural causes of illness rather than blame spirits. [2] At that time, medicine was reactive. People fell ill first, and only then did healers step in.

The Romans took prevention even further. Their aqueducts delivered clean water, and their sewage systems carried waste away, protecting entire cities from disease outbreaks. These public health measures were among the first examples of prevention on a large scale. [3] Still, for most of history, medicine meant waiting for illness to strike and then stepping in to restore balance.

From Landmark Studies to Prevention

Everything changed in the 20th century, when screening for diseases became a common practice. The Pap smear, introduced in the 1940s, saved countless women by catching cervical cancer at its earliest stage. [4] Mammograms in the 1960s helped detect breast cancers before they spread.  Colonoscopy not only found disease but also prevented it by removing precancerous polyps. [5]

Research over the decades has proven that prevention works. The Framingham Heart Study, launched in 1948, showed that high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking predicted heart disease. [6] Suddenly, routine checks for blood pressure and cholesterol became more than numbers; they were early warnings that could save lives. More recently, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has reviewed evidence to recommend screenings that offer clear benefits.[7] The COVID-19 pandemic reminded us once again that prevention saves lives. Testing, masking, vaccines, and early detection acted like modern aqueducts, stopping disease before it could overwhelm communities. [8,9]

Screenings That Make the Biggest Impact on Survival: 2025 Update

Today, guidelines recommend screening throughout life, based on each person’s individual risks. Six common screening tests include:

  • Pap smears for cervical cancer in women aged 21–65.
  • Mammograms for breast cancer, starting at age 40–50, depending on risk.
  • Colonoscopy or stool-based testing for colorectal cancer starting at age 45.
  • Low-dose CT scans for lung cancer in high-risk individuals (such as long-term smokers).
  • PSA blood tests for prostate cancer, after shared decision-making with a doctor.
  • Blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes checks to prevent cardiovascular disease. [10 -12]

These screenings are more than tests; they are chances to find disease early, often before symptoms appear. For our families and friends, this can mean less aggressive treatment, longer life, and a better quality of life.

Inside This Issue

Each article in this issue aims to inform, guide, and empower you in making choices that fit your life and health goals. In this edition of our journal, you will find articles focused on:

  • Cancer screening for men after 40, including lung, prostate, colorectal, and skin cancers.
  • Women’s screening guidelines, from breast and cervical to colorectal and endometrial cancer.
  • Strategies for managing and preventing diabetes.
  • Understanding Iron Deficiency Anemia and Its Treatment.
  • A primer on sarcoidosis and emerging therapies.

Beyond 2025: How Screenings Will Evolve to Save More Lives?

Today, medicine is about anticipation, not just reaction. Screening is one of our most powerful tools, but it works best when patients take an active role. No test is perfect, and screening should always consider personal preferences, risks, and values. Still, the evidence is clear: early detection saves lives. The art of medicine is not only in curing illness but also in protecting health quietly, consistently, and before disease takes hold.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to this work.

Acknowledgment

The authors utilized generative artificial intelligence (ChatGPT, Grammarly) to enhance language editing and readability. All medical information, interpretation, and conclusions were developed, verified, and approved by the authors.

References

  1. Nunn JF. Ancient Egyptian medicine. London: British Museum Press; 1996. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271103109_John_F_Nunn_Ancient_Egyptian_medicine_London_British_Museum_Press_1996_pp_240_illus_2500_0-7141-0981-9
  2. Hippocrates. On Airs, Waters, and Places. 2007 Jan 1;3. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/27249451_On_Airs_Waters_and_Places
  3. Rosen G. A History of Public Health. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2015. https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/11246/history-public-health?srsltid=AfmBOopkWaqVEseKt-eg7ATHBK00NcEdwgVWnSpJh4_cDI6VeM2ztEg_
  4. Papanicolaou GN. A New Procedure for Staining Vaginal Smears. Science. 1942 Apr 24;95(2469):438–9. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.95.2469.438
  5. Winawer SJ, Zauber AG, Ho MN, O’Brien MJ, Gottlieb LS, Sternberg SS, et al. Prevention of Colorectal Cancer by Colonoscopic Polypectomy. New England Journal of Medicine. 1993 Dec 30;329(27):1977–81. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199312303292701
  6. Dawber TR, et al. The Framingham Study: An Epidemiological Investigation of Cardiovascular Disease. Public Health Rep. 1951. https://biolincc.nhlbi.nih.gov/media/studies/framcohort/An_Epidemiological_Investigation_of_Cardiovascular_Disease_(Sections_1-2).pdf
  7. US Preventive Services Task Force. Recommendations. www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org.
  8. Link-Gelles R, Chickery S, Webber A, Ong TC, Rowley EAK, DeSilva MB, et al. Interim Estimates of 2024–2025 COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness Among Adults Aged ≥18 Years — VISION and IVY Networks, September 2024–January 2025. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report [Internet]. 2025 Feb 27;74(6):73–82. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7406a1.htm
  9. Baden LR, El Sahly HM, Essink B. Efficacy and Safety of the mRNA-1273 SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine. New England Journal of Medicine [Internet]. 2020 Dec 30;384(5):403–16. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2035389
  10. Gupta S. Screening for Colorectal Cancer. Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America [Internet]. 2022 Jun 1;36(3):393–414. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889858822000016?via%3Dihub
  11. Krist AH, Davidson KW, Mangione CM, Barry MJ, Cabana M, Caughey AB, et al. Screening for lung cancer: US preventive services task force recommendation statement. JAMA. 2021 Mar 9;325(10):962–70. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2777244
  12. Siu AL. Screening for Breast Cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2016 Jan 12;164(4):279–97. https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M15-2886

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