Frequently Asked Questions

Cancer Screen Iowa is a free tool that helps you stay on top of cancer screenings recommended by the American Cancer Society (ACS). Based on the information you provide — such as your age and other relevant factors — we generate a personalized checklist and send you a once-a-year reminder around your birthday to review what’s due.

No. Cancer Screen Iowa is an educational tool. It does not replace professional medical advice. Your healthcare provider can help you decide which screenings are right for you based on your personal health history.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. The ACS develops evidence-based guidelines for cancer screening that are designed to be accessible and actionable for the general public. Learn more at cancer.org.

Cancer Screen Iowa currently covers five cancer types with strong ACS screening guidelines: breast, colorectal, lung, cervical, and prostate cancer. We built the platform to support adding new screening types as guidelines evolve.

We monitor ACS guideline updates and update our recommendations when guidelines change. Your checklist shows the guideline version used to generate your recommendations. If guidelines are updated, your checklist will reflect the change the next time it refreshes.

You can complete the questionnaire and view your checklist without creating an account. If you want to save your checklist and receive annual birthday reminders, you’ll create an account.

To generate a personalized checklist, we ask for your birthdate and a small number of screening-relevant questions. Depending on the screening type, this may include information such as sex at birth (for guideline matching), smoking history, and certain health history items that affect eligibility. We only ask for what we need to generate your checklist and reminders.

After viewing your checklist, you can enter your email address to create an account. You’ll verify your email and set a password so you can sign in and manage your reminders. If you were invited by an employer or a friend, your invitation link will guide you through the same steps.

Your checklist is generated from the information you provide — for example, your age and other eligibility factors — and the current American Cancer Society guidelines. We show only screenings where you appear to meet the general eligibility criteria based on what you’ve shared with us.

If a screening isn’t shown, you likely don’t meet the general eligibility criteria based on your profile. For example, lung cancer screening eligibility depends on age and smoking history, and cervical cancer screening is generally recommended starting at age 25. If something looks off, you can update your profile in Settings and refresh your checklist.

Each screening card includes a status selector. You can mark an item as Planned, Scheduled, or Completed. If you’ve scheduled an appointment or completed a screening, you can optionally record a date for your own tracking.

Yes. You can update relevant profile information — such as smoking history or other eligibility factors — from Settings. Updates are reflected the next time your checklist refreshes.

Breast cancer: Women ages 40–44 have the option to begin annual mammograms. Women ages 45–54 are encouraged to get mammograms every year. Women 55 and older can switch to every 2 years or continue annually. Screening should continue as long as you are in good health.

Colorectal cancer: Regular screening is recommended for adults ages 45–75. Adults ages 76–85 should talk to their doctor about whether to continue. Options include colonoscopy, stool-based tests, and blood-based tests — your doctor can help you choose.

Cervical cancer: Regular cervical screening is recommended for women and people with a cervix starting at age 25 through at least age 65. The preferred method is an HPV test every 5 years, though other options are available.

Lung cancer: Annual low-dose CT screening is recommended for adults ages 50–80 who have a significant smoking history (at least 20 pack-years) and currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years. Talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.

Prostate cancer: The ACS recommends that men have an informed conversation with their doctor about prostate cancer screening starting at age 50 for average-risk individuals, or earlier if you are African American or have a close family member diagnosed with prostate cancer before age 65.

A note on family history: The screening guidelines above are for people at average risk. If you have a personal or family history of cancer, your doctor may recommend a different screening schedule. Cancer Screen Iowa is designed for average-risk screening awareness — always consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

We send one reminder email per year around your birthday by default, and follow-up reminders for past-due screenings. You can adjust reminder timing preferences or turn reminders off in Settings.

Every email includes an unsubscribe link. Clicking it will opt you out immediately. You can also manage email preferences from Settings.

We collect the minimum information needed to generate your checklist and send your reminders. This may include your email, birthdate, and any eligibility-related questions you choose to answer. We use this information to generate screening recommendations and provide reminders and related product features. We do not sell personal data.

No. Cancer Screen Iowa is ad-free. We may display clearly labeled sponsor offers that are relevant to screening steps or support services. These offers are not based on behavioral tracking, and we do not sell personal data.

We use industry-standard security practices, including encrypted connections (HTTPS) and access controls. We use security measures designed to protect sensitive information and limit internal access to what’s necessary.

Yes. You can request account deletion from Settings. We delete or de-identify your account data promptly, subject to limited retention for security, fraud prevention, and legal compliance.

A Care Circle is a private group you can create to stay connected with family members or friends around screening reminders and progress. Care Circle members control what, if anything, they share.

Only what you choose to share. When you join a Care Circle, you select a sharing level (for example: nothing, status only, or status with dates). You can change your sharing level, leave a Care Circle, or revoke sharing at any time.

No. Care Circle sharing is designed to show high-level progress only. It does not share your detailed questionnaire responses or personal health information.

Yes. Employers can offer Cancer Screen Iowa as a wellness benefit. Employers can upload a roster, send consent-first invitations, and view aggregate engagement metrics.

No. Employers only see aggregate, anonymized engagement metrics such as enrollment and overall participation. Your individual health information and screening history are not shared with your employer.

No. Participation is your choice. You can decline the invitation or opt out. Your employer may see that you opted out, but they do not receive any individual health information.

Your account remains yours. You have the same checklist and features as any individual user. The only difference is that your enrollment status may be counted in your employer’s aggregate program metrics.

Yes. Cancer Screen Iowa is optimized for both desktop and mobile browsers.

Yes. You can invite friends and family from the Invite page. Invitations are consent-first — people choose whether to join.

Go to the Sign In page and select “Forgot Password.” We’ll email you a reset link. If you don’t see it, check your spam/junk folder or contact us for help.

Email us at info@cancerscreeniowa.org