Here’s a rundown of what’s appropriate by age group. If you’re at high risk for a disease or for more complete information check the web sites below.

In Your 20s Pap test: Liquid-based Pap test for women approximately three years after beginning sex or by age 21, whichever is earlier. Every two years. Clinical breast exam: A manual exam by a medical professional checking for lumps or changes. If normal, repeat every three years. Breast self-exam (BSE): Start monthly checks for lumps. Blood cholesterol test: Every five years get separate numbers for HDL, LDL, and triglyceride levels. Blood pressure test: Check every two years, more often if elevated.

In Your 30s Clinical breast exam: After age 30 if a woman has had three consecutive normal tests she should be tested every two to three years with a Pap or liquid Pap test or every three years with an HPV DNA test and a Pap. Breast self-exam: Continue monthly. Mammogram for women at risk: If your mother, sister, or grandmother had breast cancer, your doctor may advise you to have a baseline mammogram. Pap test: After three consecutive normal tests, screen every two to three years with Pap or liquid Pap test, every three years with an HPV DNA test and a Pap. Blood cholesterol test: Every five years. Blood pressure test: At least every two years.

In Your 40s Mammogram: Starting at age forty, a woman should have a baseline mammogram and then repeat the screening every year. Continue clinical breast exams annually, and self-exams monthly. Glaucoma: Beginning at age forty, every woman should have this test (which measures pressure in the eye) every two years. Doctors may recommend that African-Americans and women with a family history of glaucoma start screenings earlier. Fasting plasma glucose: Starting at age forty-five, all adults should have this test for diabetes. If it’s normal, repeat at least every three years. If the disease runs in your family, your physician will recommend screenings much earlier. Pap test: After three consecutive normal tests, screen every two to three years with Pap or liquid Pap test, every three years with an HPV DNA test and a Pap. Blood pressure test: At least every two years. Blood cholesterol test: Every five years

In Your 50s & beyond Mammogram: Annually. If you have been taking estrogen for ten years, or have other breast-cancer risk factors, your doctor may now suggest having clinical breast checks every six months. Continue monthly BSEs. Pap test: After three consecutive normal tests, screen every two to three years with Pap or liquid Pap test, every three years with an HPV DNA test and a Pap. Fecal occult blood test: This test checks for hidden blood in the stool. Have it done once a year. If positive, your doctor will recommend colonoscopy to check for polyps in the colon. Digital rectal exam: Checks for precancerous growths in the rectum, a predictor of colon cancer. Should be done once a year. Flexible sigmoidoscopy: Recommended every three to five years starting at age fifty. This test allows your doctor to scan the colon for precancerous growths. If positive, colonoscopy is recommended. Fasting plasma glucose: Starting in your sixties, check for diabetes yearly. Blood pressure test: At least every two years. Blood cholesterol test: Every five years

For More information... National Institutes of Health www.nih.gov National Cancer Institute (NCI) www.cancer.gov Centers for Disease Control www.cdc.gov American Cancer Society (ACS) www.cancer.org American Heart Association (AHA) www.americanheart.org American Diabetes Association (ADA) www.diabetes.org