A conversation with our doctors

Dr. Van H. Dunn, Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Lela Mayers, Deputy Chief Medical Officer

Listen to the conversation between Dr. Dunn and Dr. Mayers.

Dr. Mayers: We’re both primary care doctors: I’m a family doc and you’re an internist. So, one of the things we focus on is what screening tests to recommend for our members. There are many tests that may be needed at various stages and ages. Many are universal, but some tests are recommended for women and some are primarily for men.

Dr. Dunn: I’m going to start by saying to men, we sometimes neglect our health and don’t go see the doctor until we’re sick. September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and one of the leading causes of death for older men is prostate cancer, because it can be totally asymptomatic. What this means is that you’re walking around feeling fine and you don’t know there’s something wrong until you go to see your doctor. When your doctor does an exam, they may find out that you have a large prostate, and that could indicate prostate cancer. Fortunately, there are a lot of tests that are available to identify it. The most common test is called a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. It’s a simple blood test that tells you whether you’re at risk for developing prostate cancer.

Dr. Mayers: One of our recommendations is to have a conversation with your doctor about whether the PSA test is right for you, because it may not make sense for all men. And for those who are very high-risk, such as those with a family history of prostate cancer, your doctor may be more inclined to order the PSA test for you. Whereas if your risks are low or you have other medical conditions, your doctor may not think it’s a good test for you. So, it’s very important to talk with your doctor.

Dr. Dunn: It really is. I can’t stress enough how valuable it is to have a good relationship with your primary care provider, someone you can talk to about what tests you should have. So, it’s a decision that’s made between the doctor and the patient. This is someone you can go in and see every year for your annual exam.

Dr. Mayers: Now, let’s talk about women and mammograms. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and there’s a lot of different opinions about how often you should get a mammogram, as well as when to start. This is another test you should discuss with your primary care doctor, because it varies based on your individual risk. For the average-risk person, the recommendation is that you begin having a mammogram at 40 years old. Between the ages of 40 and 50, your doctor may recommend that you have a mammogram every year or every two years. Then at age 50, the consensus is to have one every year. But again, this is something you should talk with your doctor about.

One thing I did want to note is it’s not very comfortable to have a mammogram. I don’t know if that’s common knowledge, but it’s sort of a joke among women that mammograms are uncomfortable, unpleasant, and most women are recommended to have one every year. But once it’s over, you feel good about yourself because you’ve had a test that can prevent a bad outcome. The fact is that the lifetime incidence of breast cancer in women is about 12 percent, and the risk of developing breast cancer goes up as we age, which is why the recommendation is yearly once you turn 50 years old.

Dr. Dunn: The benefit of getting a yearly mammogram is that it can catch cancer early, leading to better treatment and potentially a cure. So, that’s why we really encourage women to have this test, even though it’s uncomfortable, because we know that if we catch it early, we can really improve outcomes. And there are many screening tests that everyone needs. Colonoscopies are a must for everyone who is 45 or older. Everyone 18 and older should have their blood pressure checked. And those are just two—for a full list of screening recommendations.

Dr. Mayers: I think in terms of prevention, we should all get a flu shot. Your doctor may also recommend that you get a COVID-19 booster. It’s important to keep up to date with immunizations. And when you hit your 50s, you should talk with your doctor about getting Shingrix, the vaccine to prevent shingles, which can be very painful. For younger people, meningitis vaccines are important. My kids are heading off to school, so I am due to make appointments for them to get their meningitis vaccines.

Dr. Dunn: Let’s face it: Vaccines prevent disease. Who wants to be an adult and come down with measles or the mumps? It’s miserable when you’re a child, but when you’re an adult, it’s even worse and can have complications. So, we always emphasize the importance of having a relationship with a provider that you can talk with about all the preventive things you can do to stay healthy. And vaccines are one of the best things that we have.

Dr. Mayers: The bottom line is, make the time to speak with your doctor or your provider to find out about the right tests and vaccinations to keep you healthy and keep you well!

Learn more about Dr. Mayers’ background and philosophy by listening to her Health Is the Key podcast episode, “Meet the Benefit Funds’ Newest Family Doctor, with Dr. Lela Mayers,” at our Health Is the Key page.