Oncologist Urges People Over 50 To Get Skin Cancer Screenings for Early Detection

As we age, our risk for many chronic diseases increases. Unfortunately, several types of cancer are included under this umbrella. An oncologist who recently turned 50 himself believes that with age comes the need for wisdom in the form of personal data.

For both men and women over 50, the single most important first step in cancer prevention is understanding your personal risk,” says Dr. Elias Obeid, MD, the medical director at Hennessy Institute for Cancer Prevention and Applied Molecular Medicine at Hackensack Meridian John Theurer Cancer Center.

At Dr. Obeid’s center, people can take a free at-home risk assessment. Your local center may offer a similar tool or your primary care doctor may be able to point you to one. The American Cancer Society’s CancerRisk360 also includes an assessment tool that asks you about lifestyle factors (diet, exercise and sun habits) and risk factors you can’t change (family history and age).

He and his teammates use their risk assessment to provide a “personalized roadmap to guide you and your doctor toward the most effective screening plan for your health.”

Screening often involves regular tests at certain ages, such as mammograms for women. That said, Dr. Obeid, who has treated patients for more than 20 years, wants everyone over 50 to get certain cancer screenings if they haven’t already (and continue as needed based on their unique risk factor and care team’s advice). Here’s the often overlooked cancer screening people over 50 need, plus a few more not to skip.

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The Top Cancer Screening To Get After 50, According to an Oncologist

An oncologist wishes people over 50 made skin cancer screenings a habit.

“Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer,” Dr. Obeid states. “When detected and treated early, skin cancer is highly treatable.”

Indeed, around 1 in 5 people will receive a skin cancer diagnosis by age 70. Skin cancer can be fatal (about 8,000 people die from it annually). Yet, it has a 99% 5-year survival rate if it’s detected early. That’s where screening comes in, but the guidance isn’t as straightforward as, say, mammograms for breast cancer and colonoscopies for rectal cancer.

“While there are no universal guidelines for professional skin exams for the general population, many doctors recommend regular self-exams and an annual skin check by a healthcare provider, especially for those with risk factors like a history of sun exposure, fair skin or a family history of skin cancer,” Dr. Obeid says.

Related: ‘I’m an Oncologist—This Is the One Cancer Myth I Wish Would Go Away’

What a Skin Cancer Screening Involves

Dr. Obeid shares that skin cancer screenings involve self and clinical checks. “This involves checking the skin for any new, unusual or changing moles, sores or other growths that could be signs of skin cancer,” he says.

The goal is to notice signs of any of the skin cancer types, the three most common of which are:

• Basal and Squamous Cell (most common in sun-exposed areas like the head, neck and arms, but can develop anywhere)

• Melanoma (risk factors include moles and first-degree family history, like a parent or sibling)

• Lymphoma (starts in immune system cells, and age is a risk factor)

The ACS offers a full guide to performing a skin check at home and recommends doing one once per month. The short of it:

“Regularly check your own skin for any changes,” Dr. Obeid says. “It is important to see a dermatologist if you notice any new spots, changes in the size, shape or color of existing moles or any spots that itch, bleed or simply look different.”

It’s crucial to flag these issues and see a dermatologist. “A dermatologist visually inspects your entire body for suspicious spots,” he explains.

Your PCP will also likely flag any skin changes and refer you to a dermatologist and/or recommend additional testing if they notice them during an appointment, like your annual. It’s vital to follow through on the screening process.

2 More Cancer Screenings Not To Skip if You’re 50+

At-home and clinical skin cancer screenings are vital if you’re over 50. However, Dr. Obeid says it’s crucial to get screened for colorectal and lung cancer. We’ll start in the back (side) with colorectal cancer. “This screening detects precancerous polyps and early-stage colorectal cancer in the colon or rectum,” he says. “It is a vital tool for both prevention and detection.”

For this reason, the ACS suggests that average-risk people have a colonoscopy every 10 years starting at 45, though higher-risk individuals will start sooner.

“A colonoscopy is a visual exam of the entire colon,” Dr. Obeid shares. Other screening tools include less invasive stool-based annual tests and CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) every five years.

If you use a screening test other than a colonoscopy, any abnormal result requires a prompt follow-up colonoscopy.

Then there are lung cancer screenings, which are literally life-saving, something Dr. Obeid can’t say enough. “This screening looks for early signs of lung cancer using a low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scan,” Dr. Obeid states. “The screening involves a short, non-invasive CT scan of the chest that provides detailed images of the lungs. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, and this screening is specifically for those at high risk.”

Dr. Obeid reports that the USPSTF recommends yearly LDCT scans for adults ages 50 to 80 who:

• Have a 20 pack-year smoking history (a pack a day for 20 years)

• Have quit within the past 15 years

“Some guidelines apply even if you quit more than 15 years ago,” he adds. “Early detection before symptoms appear can lead to more effective treatment.”

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Related: The Popular Cooking Method Oncologists Are Begging People To Limit

Sources:

• Dr. Elias Obeid, MD, the medical director at Hennessy Institute for Cancer Prevention and Applied Molecular Medicine at Hackensack Meridian John Theurer Cancer Center

• Melanoma of the Skin Statistics. CDC.

• Types of Skin Cancer. AAD.

• Lung Cancer: Screening, USPSTF.

This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the Health & Wellness section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.