A doctor has issued a warning over important NHS health checks you should never miss.
It comes as cancer deaths have surged following the coronavirus pandemic due to people putting off going to their doctors and missing vital symptoms. Dr Hilary appeared on ITV's Lorraine to discuss some vital screening appointments that you should not miss.
He said that having the tests can be "hugely reassuring" if you want peace of mind. Some are gender or aged based but all of the available tests can help catch serious illnesses, such as cancer and diabetes, early on.
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Here is the four main tests you should make sure you attend when invited. They are all available on the NHS.
Mammography
This is breast screening for women. NHS breast screening checks use X-rays to look for cancers that are too small to see or feel.
Dr Hilary said: "That's really important on a three-yearly basis between the ages of 50 and 71. It's really important."
NHS routine MOT
Dr Hilary said a body MOT is available for those aged 40 and over. At this kind of appointment your GP will check your blood pressure, do urine tests, blood tests and check your height and weight.
The medical expert said: "This can pick up things like diabetes at an early stage and blood pressure at an early stage."
PSA testing
According to the NHS website, this is a test for prostate-specific antigens. The PSA test can find aggressive prostate cancer that needs treatment, but it can also find slow-growing cancer that may never cause symptoms or shorten life.
The doctor said: "More for men you have PSA testing on an informed basis. In that test you can get false positives and false negatives so you need to be sure about why you're doing it and what results might mean."
Aortic aneurysm testing
Dr Hilary said this test is available to men, as a one-off, who are 65 years old. He said it checks the main artery which can "swell and sometimes rupture". But any issues with it can be easily picked up on an ultrasound of your heart.
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