Q: Currently I am totally healthy. I want to take the tests of cancer of the skin, bone, or in any part of the body. What are the costs? What are the precautionary tests, through which one can know that one is developing cancer in his body or not. I think prevention to developing cancer or detection of cancer in early stage, is the only way to cure it.

A:Unfortunately there are no global screening methodology and specially none for the males except to some extent PSA, sputum cytology, urine cytology (only if indicated). Some of the detection centres do take up some screening packages which include complete physical examination by various specialists, hematological and biochemical investigations, X-ray chest, abdominal ultrasound, PSA above certain age, sputum cytology for smokers. Special investigations are advised depending upon the symptoms, family history etc (eg Colon cancers). So the things are rather vague on the screening in general. The person in question should attend one of these centres and get the check up there - further investigations will depend upon symptomatology, risk factors like smoking, family history, life style etc.