Screening aims to either detect cancer at a very early stage (when treatment may be more effective), or detect changes in cells which, if left untreated, might become cancerous later.
In the UK, national screening is available for cancers of the breast and cervix. In some areas of the UK screening is also available for bowel cancer, and should be available across the whole of the UK by the end of 2009. Screening is also being looked at for ovarian and prostate cancer.
Our sections about bowel screening, breast screening, cervical screening and the PSA test provide more specific information.