AHN to offer free monthly cancer screening clinics; first stop is Allegheny Valley Hospital

The Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute will offer free monthly cancer screening clinics throughout the region starting with Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison on Saturday, Jan. 29.

Advance registration is required.

AHN offered five screening clinics last year that booked up quickly, said Dr. David Bartlett, chairman of the AHN Cancer Institute.

But the pandemic has depressed the number of such screenings nationwide.

Physicians are concerned about the potential of increased cancer diagnosis because of missed screenings, Bartlett said.

“Our goal for 2022 is to reach even more people, and to try to ensure easy access to screening in all the communities of our region,” he said.

Screenings available

The clinics will provide screenings for breast cancer (ages 40 and older), cervical cancer (ages 21-65), colorectal cancers (age 45-75), head and neck cancers (ages 18 and older), lung cancer (ages 50-80 with a history of smoking) prostate cancer (ages 45 and older) and skin cancer (ages 18 and older).

Dr. James Betler, a radiation oncologist for AHN Jefferson Hospital, started the free scanning clinics for multiple cancers in 2014 at Jefferson.

The program has been successful and expanded to other AHN hospitals because it provides one-stop shopping for a variety of cancer screenings. Pre-pandemic, the free cancer screening program provided 6,000 screenings in six years, Betler said.

1 in 4 screenings discover a problem

Last year, AGH’s screenings clinics conducted 683 screenings with 179 or 26% flagged for an abnormality.

A cancer screening will detect an issue early and increase the chances of a better health outcome, Belter said.

“It’s a great investment of your time,” Betler said. “For New Year’s resolutions, this is the one to make.”

The event is open to both Allegheny Health Network and non-AHN patients.

Health insurance is not required.

Other screening sites

Upcoming cancer screening clinics are planned for the Wexford and Peters Township Health + Wellness Pavilions; AHN Cancer Institute locations in Beaver, New Castle, Hempfield, Grove City and Allegheny General Hospital; the East Side Health + Wellness Pavilion in Erie; and West Penn and Jefferson hospitals.