South Heartland District Health Department

Cancer Screening

Find Cancer Early - Get Screened

By Derby, Kelly on May 06, 2024

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Cancer is one of the five community issues prioritized in our Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) for 2019-2024. Our goal, with our partners, is to reduce the impact of cancer in our community through increased screening for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers; increased awareness of prostate cancer screening; and increase awareness of skin protection.

Find Cancer Early - Get Screened

Screening tests are used to find cancer in people who have no symptoms. Screening increases the chances of finding certain cancers early, when they are small, have not spread, and might be easier to treat. The Affordable Care Act requires insurers and Medicare to cover the costs of certain cancer tests. Find out more here.

Breast Cancer

Female breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in Nebraska. In 2018 (most recent data), 1.54 new female breast cancer cases and 222 deaths were reported.

If you're over 40, it's important to get screened. Your doctor can help you determine the breast cancer screening best for you. If you're under-insured, SHDHD can help you get screened via the Every Women Matters program.

Cervical Cancer

In Nebraska, in 2018 (most recent data), 59 new cervical cancer cases and 30 deaths were reported.

One of the best things you can do so you don't get cervical cancer is to get screened regularly. Pap and HPV DNA tests look for changes in the cervix that may lead to cancer.

Colorectal Cancer

In Nebraska, in 2018 (most recent data), 943 new colon and rectum cancer cases and 356 deaths were reported. But colorectal cancer is preventable, treatable, and beatable.  

If you're 45 or older, or have a family history of colorectal cancer, you should start getting screened. SHDHD has free blood stool test (FIT) kits available for use in the comfort of your home. Simply come to the office to pick one up. If you're a resident in our District, you can also complete the enrollment form and we will mail a kit directly to your home. If you have questions, please call the health department at 402-462-6211 (toll-free at 1-877-238-7595) year-round.

The “gold standard” of colorectal screenings is the colonoscopy. However, no single test is the ‘right’ one for everyone. The best test is the one that gets done!  So talk with your medical provider about the benefits and risks of each screening option as well as your family history, personal risk factors, and preferences to help determine which screening test is best for you.

Lung Cancer

Not counting skin cancer, lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer in men and women and is the leading cause of cancer death in men and women.  Each year, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast and prostate cancers combined. In Nebraska, in 2018 (most recent data), 1,291 new lung and bronchus cancer cases and 791 deaths were reported.

The most important thing you can do is to not start smoking. If you need help quitting smoking, you can call the Nebraska Tobacco Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW or the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Hotline at 1-800-662-HELP.

Another thing you can do is get your home tested for radon. SHDHD has radon test kits available for $8.

Prostate Cancer

Aside from skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer for men with deaths by prostate cancer as the second highest cancer related death. In Nebraska, in 2018 (most recent data), 1,632 new prostate cancer cases and 203 deaths were reported.

Not all prostate cancers are the same. Testing is not perfect. And treatment can have serious side effects. To make an informed decision, talk to your medical provider to see if testing is right for you.

Skin Cancer

In Nebraska, in 2018 (most recent data), 652 new melanomas of the skin cancer cases and 67 deaths were reported. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, and it is estimated that one person dies from melanoma — the deadliest form of skin cancer — every hour.

What you can do? Cover up with clothing, a hat, and sun screen whenever you're in the sun. And see a dermatologist annually.