Screen!: Cancer Risk Test Bot

Most people prefer not to think about cancer while everything is fine. 🕵️ The Screen! bot invites you to take a short test from a cancer prevention foundation and see which personal risk factors you have.

Be clear from the start: this is not a diagnosis and not a replacement for a doctor. The test exists to nudge you toward a conversation about prevention and checkups.

Where the bot came from

The bot appeared in 2018 as a joint project of the Cancer Prevention Foundation and a medical Telegram channel. Tech and medical outlets wrote about it at the time.

According to reports from then, about two thousand people used it in the first hours after launch, and it ran into Telegram's message-sending limits. Interest in the topic was high.

What the test looks at

The idea is simple: you answer questions about yourself and your lifestyle, and the bot highlights risk factors that can influence the chance of developing cancer.

• Personal data. Age and sex affect which screenings are recommended.
• Lifestyle. Smoking, alcohol, diet and physical activity.
• Family history. Cancer cases among close relatives.

The exact set of questions depends on the test version, so open the bot and follow the current script.

Why know your risk factors

A risk factor is not a disease. It is a condition under which the chance of getting sick is above average. Many can be changed: quit smoking, rethink your diet, start moving. 🏃

Others cannot, such as age or heredity. But knowing about them helps you avoid skipping scheduled checkups.

Early detection remains one of the main ways to improve the odds of successful treatment, and that is exactly what a test like this pushes you toward.

Taking it and using the result

1. Open the chat with the bot and tap the start button.
2. Answer honestly. The test works only with the data you give it.
3. Read the result calmly, without panic.
4. Note the points that worry you and discuss them with a doctor.
5. Find out which screenings are recommended for your age and sex.

If the result looks alarming, do not delay a visit to a general practitioner or a specialist. 🩺

A word about privacy

You are answering health questions, which are sensitive data. Do not enter passport details, document numbers or insurance numbers. Risk assessment does not need them.

If the bot ever asks for such details or for money, stop. That is a red flag. ⚠️

Limits of an online questionnaire

A web-style questionnaire cannot see lab results or an examination. It does not know your symptoms and cannot rule out disease. A low risk score is no reason to skip routine medical checkups.

If you already have worrying symptoms, such as unexplained weight loss, a long-lasting cough, blood in discharge or a changing mole, go to a doctor, not to a bot.