The earlier a malignancy is diagnosed and treated, the better the results.

The malignancies for which prevention programs have been established, are:

1. Breast cancer

Clinical examination is recommended from the age of 25 to 40 years. In people over 40 years of age, a clinical examination should be done once a year, together with mammography with tomography, preferably, together with a complementary breast ultrasound examination.

In high-risk women, preventive screening should be started at an earlier age.

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2. Cervical cancer

The main cause of the appearance of cervical cancer is a chronic HPV infection. Since 2008, the HPV vaccine has been introduced into the national vaccination program and has been approved in girls and women from 9 to 26 years old. Since 2022, it has also been approved in boys aged 9 to 18 years.

It is recommended that all women 3 years after the start of sexual activity undergo a PAP test.

The Pap test should be repeated annually for sexually active women or at most every two years for women between 21 and 29 years old. After the age of 30 the audit is mandatory annual at the beginning. In women over 30 years of age with consecutive 3 normal Pap tests without predisposing risk factors for developing cervical cancer, Pap test screening can be done every 3 years. Discontinuation of the test is done in women over 65 years of age, if the last 3 checks are normal.

The Pap test can be supplemented with the HPV DNA test where needed.

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3. Colon cancer

In Greece, the audit is carried out in one of two ways:

1. Screening of manure for hemoglobin (Hb), Feacal Immunohistochemistry test (FIT), from the 50th year, annually, for 3 years. After that, the examination is repeated every 2 years, until 75 years. When there is a family history or other risk factor, the examination is carried out annually from the 40th year.
2. Colonoscopy, from 50 to 75 years, for 5 years. When there is a family history or other high risk factor, screening begins in the 40th year and occurs more frequently.
    

4. Cancer in the lung

A low-dose CT scan is performed annually, in smokers aged 50-80 years, as well as in people who have quit smoking in the past 15 years.
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5. Prostate cancer

Periodic blood testing of the PSA indicator, as well as finger examination of the prostate, is recommended in men aged 40-70 years.

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