"Should You Have an Annual Check-up?"

"Why should I go to the doctor? I feel fine."

"I'll know when there is something wrong."

"I only go to the doctor when I'm sick"

Many of us have heard (or even given) these reasons for not having an annual check-up. But statistics reveal that when a disease such as cancer becomes symptomatic, it is often in an advanced stage, resulting in more drastic treatment and poor survival rates. With breast cancer, for example, by the time a lump can be felt, the cancer has often been present for two or more years. Early diagnosis makes a difference not only in cancer but in many diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease.