Annual Health Screenings and Interventions for a 73-Year-Old Female

Cancer Screenings

Biennial mammography is recommended for a 73-year-old woman with good overall health and life expectancy of at least 10 years. 1, 2
Women aged ≥55 years should transition to biennial screening or have the opportunity to continue annual screening as long as their overall health is good and they have a life expectancy of 10 years or longer 1
For women aged 70 with no significant comorbidities (average life expectancy of approximately 19 years), continued screening is justified 2
Clinical breast examination should be performed as part of a periodic health examination, preferably annually 1

Colorectal cancer screening should continue through age 75 for women in good health with a life expectancy greater than 10 years 1
Options include:
- Fecal immunochemical test (FIT) annually 1
- High-sensitivity guaiac-based fecal occult blood test (HSgFOBT) annually 1
- Multitarget stool DNA test every 3 years 1
- Colonoscopy every 10 years 1
- CT colonography every 5 years 1
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years 1
All positive results on non-colonoscopy screening tests should be followed up with timely colonoscopy 1

Women aged >65 years who have had ≥3 consecutive negative Pap tests or ≥2 consecutive negative HPV and Pap tests within the last 10 years, with the most recent test occurring within the last 5 years, should stop cervical cancer screening 1
Women who have had a total hysterectomy should stop cervical cancer screening 1

Blood pressure measurement should be performed annually 3, 4
Lipid profile screening should be conducted based on cardiovascular risk factors 3
Electrocardiogram (ECG) should be considered as a baseline for future comparison 4
Consider screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm if the patient has risk factors such as smoking history 3

Bone density screening for osteoporosis 4
Thyroid function testing, especially for women 4
Screening for hearing problems 4
Assessment for urinary incontinence 4
Cancer-related checkup including examination for cancers of the thyroid, lymph nodes, oral cavity, and skin 1

Counseling on smoking cessation for current smokers 3
Diet recommendations emphasizing healthy fats and adequate calcium and vitamin D intake 3, 4
Physical activity recommendations including aerobic exercise and strength training 3
Discussion about fall prevention strategies 3

Cancer screening benefits are generally only realized when life expectancy exceeds 5 years 3
Screening decisions should be based on the patient's overall health status, comorbidities, and life expectancy 1, 2
Potential harms of screening include discomfort during examinations and anxiety related to false-positive results 2
Laboratory values in elderly patients may differ slightly from standard ranges, which should be considered when interpreting test results 5