FUNCTIONAL HEALTH GUIDE -- EARLY CANCER RISK AND SCREENING

Functional Health — Early Cancer Risk & Screening

A Longevity-Focused Guide for Dogs and Cats
By Dr. Kevin Toman, The Longevity Vet

WANT THIS AS A DOWNLOADABLE PDF?  Here You Go. 

Why Cancer Is a Functional Health Issue for Our Pets

Cancer rarely appears suddenly.

In dogs and cats, cancer risk increases over time as a result of:

  • chronic inflammation

  • metabolic dysfunction

  • immune dysregulation

By the time cancer is diagnosed, many opportunities for earlier risk reduction have already passed.

Functional Health addresses cancer upstream, before diagnosis — when biology is still modifiable.

This worksheet is a decision-support tool, not a diagnosis.
It is organized around The 3 Core Goals.

The 3 Core Goals

This worksheet is designed to help you:

  1. Clarify what matters most right now

  2. Determine the next best test (if any)

  3. Choose the most appropriate next step

Core Goal 1: Clarify What Matters Most Right Now

Cancer risk is rarely about a single symptom.
It is more often about patterns over time.

Early Risk Patterns That Deserve Attention

Patterns that may indicate increased cancer risk include:

  • unexplained or unintentional weight loss

  • chronic or unresolved inflammation

  • recurring infections or poor immune resilience

  • new or changing lumps, bumps, or masses

Individually, these signs may be nonspecific.
Together, they can signal biological environments that favor cancer development.

Functional Health Perspective

The key question is not:

“Does my pet have cancer?”

It is:

“Is my pet’s biology shifting in a way that increases cancer risk?”

Core Goal 2: Determine the Next Best Test 

Not every pet needs immediate cancer testing.

Functional Health helps clarify:

  • when observation and risk reduction are appropriate

    • Early Cancer Detection blood tests

  • when targeted testing adds meaningful information

    • Fine needle aspirates or biopsies

  • which tests are often ordered too late to change outcomes

The goal is intentional testing, not reactive testing.

In many cases, improving metabolic and inflammatory balance is more impactful early than pursuing aggressive diagnostics.

Core Goal 3: Choose the Most Appropriate Next Step

Once cancer risk patterns are identified, there are three appropriate categories of Functional Health Interventions:

Risk reduction

  • reducing chronic inflammatory drivers

  • addressing environmental and dietary contributors

Immune balance

  • supporting immune surveillance rather than immune overstimulation

Metabolic support

  • improving insulin sensitivity and energy balance

  • reducing pro-cancer metabolic signals

These strategies are most effective before cancer is diagnosed.

What Early Action Can Do

When implemented early, Functional Health strategies may:

  • reduce cancer-promoting biological environments

  • support normal immune surveillance

  • delay disease onset or progression

The goal is not guaranteed prevention — it is risk modification and quality time.

Successful Cancer Treatment Often Depends Upon Early Diagnosis

  • Monthly massages to detect small masses in and under the skin
  • Take a picture of the mass next to a dime, pencil, etc for scale
  • If the mass is increasing in size from month to month, GET A FINE NEEDLE ASPIRATE OR BIOPSY DONE BY YOUR VET.

When to Escalate Beyond the Worksheet

A PET LONGEVITY CONSULT is appropriate when:

  • multiple cancer risk patterns are present

  • unexplained changes are ongoing or progressive

  • lab trends raise concern

  • you want guidance on screening, timing, and prioritization

Expert guidance helps avoid both overreaction and missed opportunity.

Start a Pet Longevity Consult

Your Next Step

Cancer risk assessment is most valuable before diagnosis, not after.

If you’re concerned about risk:

  • review additional Functional Health Worksheets that overlap (metabolic health, inflammation, senior screening)

  • focus on modifiable drivers rather than fear-based action

  • consider expert guidance if decisions feel uncertain

There is no single correct response — only the appropriate next step for your pet today.

 

About These Worksheets


This worksheet is part of the Functional Health system developed at PetFunctionHealth.com, designed to identify early decline and guide long-term longevity strategy.