Cancer Prevention & Early Detection
Your best defense against cancer is prevention or early detection, when the disease highly treatable and even curable.
Beaufort Memorial offers the education you need to stay on top of your health, plus the latest screenings to detect even the smallest cancers.
All screenings are available at Beaufort Memorial’s full-service Keyserling Cancer Center and New River Cancer Center, along with any follow-up lab tests, imaging or procedures you may need. We offer appointments to fit your schedule, in a setting designed for your total comfort and privacy. And you’ll always find a caring staff committed to making your experience as stress-free as possible.
Call 843-522-5015 to schedule your peace-of-mind screening today or find a cancer specialist anytime online.
Genetic Screening & Risk Management
With increasing information that confirms many common cancers such as breast, ovarian, pancreatic, aggressive prostate and colorectal cancers have a hereditary link, you may qualify for an individualized evaluation of family history and your personal risk factors for cancer.
State-of-the-art technology is used to screen patients who may then be referred to the Beaufort Memorial Cancer Genetics and High-Risk Program. Guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) are used to determine if genetic testing is appropriate and what gene-based interventions should be used if a mutation develops. Testing results and recommendations are reviewed with the patient and shared with the referring physician for on-going care.
Cancer Genetics and High-Risk Program appointments are available in Beaufort and Okatie. Speak with your primary care provider about a referral or call 843-522-7350 for more information.
Lifestyle Support
Some cancer risk factors, such as family history, age and certain genetic changes, are beyond your control. Fortunately, there are many factors you can control—often through simple lifestyle adjustments. Eating nutritious foods, not smoking, limiting alcohol consumption and regular exercise can all help you prevent cancer. Beaufort Memorial offers resources for smoking cessation, a dedicated fitness center, ongoing community events and more programs to help you be proactive about your health.
Free and Low Cost Screenings in Your Neighborhood
Check our calendar for upcoming Mobile Wellness Unit events. The mobile unit brings vital health screenings to locations close to your home in Beaufort and Jasper counties.
Breast Cancer: Screening Mammogram
Beaufort Memorial recommends annual screening mammograms beginning at age 40 for all women, following the long-standing recommendation from the American College of Radiology and The American College of Surgeons.
We offer all-digital mammography, which allows our radiologists greater flexibility in reading images. We also provide 3D mammography in both Breast Health Centers which is especially helpful for women with dense breast tissue. Screenings are offered at two convenient locations in Beaufort and Okatie, with same-day results for your peace of mind and a breast health navigator to answer any questions.
Lung Cancer: Low-Dose CT Scan
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Symptoms usually don’t appear until the disease has progressed, which is why screening plays a crucial role in fighting the disease. Beaufort Memorial offers low-dose CT scans, a groundbreaking tool that can catch lung cancer earlier than ever, in Beaufort and Bluffton/Okatie.
During this simple test, a CT machine scans the entire body, using low doses of radiation to make comprehensive pictures of the lung. The scan provides extremely detailed pictures to help our physicians detect even the smallest tumors. It’s safe and painless, and it has been proven to help reduce the risk of lung cancer death by up to 20 percent.
Colon and Rectal Cancer: Colonoscopy
If you’re 45 or older, or have a family history of colorectal cancer, the most effective way to reduce your risk of the disease is to schedule a screening colonoscopy. This test searches for potentially cancerous polyps (abnormal cell growths on the inside lining of the colon or rectum). Catching these polyps early can stop them from ever becoming cancer, or detect the cancer when it’s highly curable.
Beaufort Memorial performs hundreds of colonoscopies every year. Do it for yourself—it’s fast and painless, and it could help save your life.
Prostate Cancer Screening
Men ages 50 and older should get annual screenings for prostate cancer, which can help catch this common condition early, when it can be closely monitored or treated. African-American men and those with a family history of prostate cancer should be screened sooner, typically by age 40 or 45.
We offer routine screenings, including a prostate-screening antigen (PSA) blood test, which looks for elevated levels of a protein that may indicate signs of cancer. Your doctor may also perform a digital rectal exam (DRE) to check the prostate for any abnormalities.