Prompt: I'm a 33-year-old and my sister was diagnosed with colorectal cancer at 46. When should I start getting screened?

Response:
You should begin colonoscopy screening at age 36.

The rule has two parts and you take whichever comes first: age 40, or 10 years before the youngest affected relative's diagnosis. Here that's 40, or 46 − 10 = 36 — and since 36 is earlier than 40, the 10-years-before rule applies, giving 36.

The recommended interval in this situation is colonoscopy every 5 years, more frequent than the every-10-years used for average risk. Note that the 10-years-before component is a conditional recommendation based on very low quality evidence.

Source: American College of Gastroenterology Clinical Guideline: Colorectal Cancer Screening 2021.

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: Make a list, using dot points, of the last five cities who hosted the Olympics.

Response:
The last five cities to host the Olympic Games were:
- Tokyo, Japan (2021),
- Rio, Brazil (2016),
- London, England (2012),
- Beijing, China (2008),
- Athens, Greece (2004).


Prompt: I just turned 78, I have a 25 pack-year smoking history and quit 20 years ago. Do I meet the criteria for low-dose CT lung screening?

Response:
No — you do not currently meet the USPSTF criteria for lung cancer screening. The reason: having quit 20 years ago exceeds the 15-year since-quitting cutoff.

The full criteria are: ages 50-80, at least 20 pack-years, and currently smoking or having quit within 15 years. You meet the other requirements. Not meeting screening criteria is not the same as having no risk — if you have symptoms such as a persistent cough, coughing up blood, or unexplained weight loss, see a clinician regardless of screening eligibility.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt:
What type of cheeses can you use to make a grilled cheese sandwich.

A grilled cheese sandwich is made by placing a cheese filling, often cheddar or American cheese, between two slices of bread, which is then heated until the bread browns and the cheese melts. A layer of butter or mayonnaise may be added to the outside of the bread for additional flavor and texture. Alternatives may include additional ingredients, such as meat, peppers, tomatoes, or onions. Methods for heating the sandwich include cooking on a griddle, fried in a pan, or using a panini grill or sandwich toaster, the latter method more common in the United Kingdom, where the sandwiches are normally called "toasted sandwiches" or "toasties", in Australia, where they are called "jaffles" or "toasted sandwiches", and South Africa, where they are called “snackwiches”. Other methods include baking in an oven or toaster oven — or in a toasting bag in an electric toaster.

Response: Common cheeses to make a grilled cheese are cheddar or American cheese, although you are not limited to those cheeses.  Depending on a persons preferences there are a large variety of cheeses that are well suited for a grilled cheese sandwich. Many people enjoy Swiss cheese, provolone, mozzarella cheese, brie, Monterey jack cheese, pepper jack cheese,  gouda, havarti, fontina and many others.


Prompt: What are different ways to make eggs?

Response: You can fry and egg on a stovetop. Its recommended to preheat the pan on medium heat, once warm spray the pan with cooking spray or use butter before cracking an egg into the pan. Cook for a few minutes before flipping to fully cook the egg.  This method is most common when preparing an egg sandwich such as a bacon egg and cheese, or a sausage egg and cheese. You can also scramble eggs in a pot or pan. To do this you whisk a few eggs in a bowl with some milk, could be any kind of milk like skim milk or a dairy free milk like almond milk. Preheat the stove to medium heat and warm the pot or pan while you do this. Then pour the eggs into the pan and continually stir the eggs, scraping the bottom of the pan to ensure the eggs are fluffy. You can also poach an egg by cracking an egg into boiling water. Lastly, you can make a hardboiled egg by putting a desired number of eggs in a pot of water before placing on the stove. Once on the stove bring to a boil for 7-8 minutes.


Prompt: I'm 26 and I have confirmed Lynch syndrome — When should I start colonoscopies and how often?

Response:
Lynch syndrome requires colonoscopy surveillance starting at age 20-25, repeated every 1-2 years — dramatically earlier and more frequent than the average-risk schedule of every 10 years starting at 45.

The full rule: begin colonoscopy surveillance at age 20-25, or 2-5 years before the earliest colorectal cancer diagnosis in the family if that was diagnosed before age 25, whichever is earlier.

At 26, surveillance should already be underway.

Source: NCCN Guidelines, Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Colorectal, Endometrial, and Gastric.

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: Quick question: I'm 46. What's the screening test for ovarian cancer?

Response:
There isn't one to recommend — USPSTF gives this a Grade D: "The USPSTF recommends against screening for ovarian cancer in asymptomatic women."

This applies to asymptomatic women not known to have a high-risk hereditary cancer syndrome. The reasoning: available screening methods (transvaginal ultrasound and CA-125 testing) do not reduce ovarian cancer mortality and produce substantial harms through false-positive results leading to unnecessary surgery.

This is a case where 'is there a test' and 'should I get the test' have different answers — screening tests for ovarian cancer exist, but for people without symptoms or a known high-risk syndrome, the guideline concludes the harms (false positives, unnecessary procedures) outweigh the benefit. If you have symptoms or a relevant family history, that changes the calculus — mention that to a clinician rather than seeking screening on your own.

Source: USPSTF Ovarian Cancer: Screening, February 2018 (Grade D).

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: I'm 39 years old. Can I get a scan to check for pancreatic cancer before I have symptoms?

Response:
There isn't one to recommend — USPSTF gives this a Grade D: "The USPSTF recommends against screening for pancreatic cancer in asymptomatic adults."

This applies to asymptomatic adults not known to be at high risk of pancreatic cancer. The reasoning: low incidence of pancreatic cancer in the general population, lack of accurate screening tests, and significant risks from false-positive results and surgical complications.

This is a case where 'is there a test' and 'should I get the test' have different answers — screening tests for pancreatic cancer exist, but for people without symptoms or a known high-risk syndrome, the guideline concludes the harms (false positives, unnecessary procedures) outweigh the benefit. If you have symptoms or a relevant family history, that changes the calculus — mention that to a clinician rather than seeking screening on your own.

Source: USPSTF Pancreatic Cancer: Screening, August 2019 (Grade D).

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: I'm 48, I have a 12 pack-year smoking history and quit 15 years ago — Am I eligible for the annual lung screening scan?

Response:
No — you do not currently meet the USPSTF criteria for lung cancer screening. The reason: age 48 is outside the eligible range of 50-80.

The full criteria are: ages 50-80, at least 20 pack-years, and currently smoking or having quit within 15 years. Also: a 12 pack-year history is below the 20 pack-year threshold. Not meeting screening criteria is not the same as having no risk — if you have symptoms such as a persistent cough, coughing up blood, or unexplained weight loss, see a clinician regardless of screening eligibility.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: Quick question: I'm 69 and I've had persistent cough for 12 weeks. I'm too young for cancer screening — should I still get this looked at?

Response:
Yes — get this evaluated. Persistent cough lasting more than 3 weeks is a recognised red-flag duration, and you're at 12 weeks. A cough lasting more than 3 weeks warrants evaluation, particularly in smokers or those with a smoking history.

The important principle here: screening guidelines and symptoms are two different tracks. Screening guidelines apply to people WITHOUT symptoms. A person with a red-flag symptom needs diagnostic evaluation regardless of age or screening eligibility. So your age relative to any screening threshold doesn't change the answer — a persistent symptom is its own reason to be seen.

Most causes of this turn out to be benign. Getting it checked is how that gets established rather than assumed.

Source: American Cancer Society CAUTION warning signs of cancer.

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: I'm asking for my mother, who is 20 and I have a mole that's changed in size over the past couple of months. Is this a warning sign?

Response:
Yes — any mole that is *changing* should be evaluated, and change in size is exactly what the 'E' in the ABCDE criteria refers to.

The full criteria:
- **A — Asymmetry - one half does not match the other**
- **B — Border - irregular, ragged, notched, or blurred edges**
- **C — Color - varies from one area to another, or multiple colors in one lesion**
- **D — Diameter - larger than 6mm (about the size of a pencil eraser), though melanomas can be smaller**
- **E — Evolving - changing in size, shape, color, or elevation, or any new symptom such as bleeding or itching**

'Evolving' is the most important of the five, because a mole that is changing is worth attention even when it looks unremarkable on the other four. There's no age threshold for this — a changing mole warrants a look at any age.

Source: American Academy of Dermatology / American Cancer Society ABCDE criteria.

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: I'm 54 — Can I get a scan to check for pancreatic cancer before I have symptoms?

Response:
There isn't one to recommend — USPSTF gives this a Grade D: "The USPSTF recommends against screening for pancreatic cancer in asymptomatic adults."

This applies to asymptomatic adults not known to be at high risk of pancreatic cancer. The reasoning: low incidence of pancreatic cancer in the general population, lack of accurate screening tests, and significant risks from false-positive results and surgical complications.

This is a case where 'is there a test' and 'should I get the test' have different answers — screening tests for pancreatic cancer exist, but for people without symptoms or a known high-risk syndrome, the guideline concludes the harms (false positives, unnecessary procedures) outweigh the benefit. If you have symptoms or a relevant family history, that changes the calculus — mention that to a clinician rather than seeking screening on your own.

Source: USPSTF Pancreatic Cancer: Screening, August 2019 (Grade D).

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: I'm a 85-year-old with no family history of cancer and no symptoms. Am I due for colorectal cancer screening?

Response:
At 85, screening is a Grade C recommendation — meaning it should be offered selectively rather than routinely. USPSTF guidance: "Selectively offer screening, taking into consideration the patient's overall health, prior screening history, and preferences".

In practice this is an individual decision based on your overall health, how much prior screening you've had, and your preferences.

Source: USPSTF Colorectal Cancer: Screening, May 2021.

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt:
Given a reference text about Lollapalooza, where does it take place, who started it and what is it?

Lollapalooza /ˌlɒləpəˈluːzə/ (Lolla) is an annual American four-day music festival held in Grant Park in Chicago. It originally started as a touring event in 1991, but several years later, Chicago became its permanent location. Music genres include but are not limited to alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock, hip hop, and electronic dance music. Lollapalooza has also featured visual arts, nonprofit organizations, and political organizations. The festival, held in Grant Park, hosts an estimated 400,000 people each July and sells out annually. Lollapalooza is one of the largest and most iconic music festivals in the world and one of the longest-running in the United States.

Lollapalooza was conceived and created in 1991 as a farewell tour by Perry Farrell, singer of the group Jane's Addiction.

Response: Lollapalooze is an annual musical festival held in Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois. It was started in 1991 as a farewell tour by Perry Farrell, singe of the group Jane's Addiction. The festival includes an array of musical genres including alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock, hip hop, and electronic dance music. The festivals welcomes an estimated 400,000 people each year and sells out annually. Some notable headliners include: the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chance the Rapper, Metallica, and Lady Gage. Lollapalooza is one of the largest and most iconic festivals in the world and a staple of Chicago.


Prompt: Quick question: I'm 43 and I recently tested positive for a pathogenic BRCA2 variant. What screening do I need and when?

Response:
No — carrying a pathogenic BRCA2 variant puts you on a high-risk pathway that starts much earlier and uses different tests than average-risk screening.

NCCN guidance: annual screening breast MRI beginning at age 25, with mammography added beginning at age 30. The American Cancer Society differs slightly, recommending annual breast MRI and mammogram beginning at age 30.

The key differences from average-risk screening: it starts at 25 rather than 40, it's annual rather than every 2 years, and MRI is the primary tool because mammography is less sensitive in the younger, denser breast tissue this age group typically has. At 43, you are already within the window where surveillance should be underway.

Sources: NCCN Guidelines, Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Breast, Ovarian, and Pancreatic; American Cancer Society recommendations for the early detection of breast cancer.

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: I'm 70 years old, I have a 20 pack-year smoking history and quit 16 years ago. Is lung cancer screening recommended for someone like me?

Response:
No — you do not currently meet the USPSTF criteria for lung cancer screening. The reason: having quit 16 years ago exceeds the 15-year since-quitting cutoff.

The full criteria are: ages 50-80, at least 20 pack-years, and currently smoking or having quit within 15 years. You meet the other requirements. Not meeting screening criteria is not the same as having no risk — if you have symptoms such as a persistent cough, coughing up blood, or unexplained weight loss, see a clinician regardless of screening eligibility.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: Classify each of the following as a city or country: Bangkok, India, London, Mexico.

Response: Bangkok - City, India - Country, London- City, Mexico- Country


Prompt: My husband just turned 41. Should I get screened for thyroid cancer?

Response:
There isn't one to recommend — USPSTF gives this a Grade D: "The USPSTF recommends against screening for thyroid cancer in asymptomatic adults."

This applies to asymptomatic adults. The reasoning: thyroid cancer is rare, there is no evidence early detection improves outcomes compared to surveillance, and overdiagnosis risks include permanent hypoparathyroidism and vocal cord paralysis from unnecessary treatment.

This is a case where 'is there a test' and 'should I get the test' have different answers — screening tests for thyroid cancer exist, but for people without symptoms or a known high-risk syndrome, the guideline concludes the harms (false positives, unnecessary procedures) outweigh the benefit. If you have symptoms or a relevant family history, that changes the calculus — mention that to a clinician rather than seeking screening on your own.

Source: USPSTF Thyroid Cancer: Screening, May 2017 (Grade D).

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: My father just turned 28 and my parent was diagnosed with colorectal cancer at 40. When should I start getting screened?

Response:
You should begin colonoscopy screening at age 30.

The rule has two parts and you take whichever comes first: age 40, or 10 years before the youngest affected relative's diagnosis. Here that's 40, or 40 − 10 = 30 — and since 30 is earlier than 40, the 10-years-before rule applies, giving 30.

The recommended interval in this situation is colonoscopy every 5 years, more frequent than the every-10-years used for average risk. Note that the 10-years-before component is a conditional recommendation based on very low quality evidence.

Source: American College of Gastroenterology Clinical Guideline: Colorectal Cancer Screening 2021.

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: Quick question: I'm 68. Do I need prostate cancer screening?

Response:
This one is genuinely a choice rather than a yes or no. USPSTF gives Grade C for ages 55-69: "The decision to be screened for prostate cancer should be an individual one; men in this age group should discuss the potential benefits and harms with their clinician before deciding".

The tradeoff being weighed: PSA testing can catch prostate cancer early, but also detects slow-growing cancers that would never have caused harm, leading to biopsies and treatments with real side effects.

Source: USPSTF Prostate Cancer: Screening, May 2018.

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: I'm 47 — Should I get screened for pancreatic cancer?

Response:
There isn't one to recommend — USPSTF gives this a Grade D: "The USPSTF recommends against screening for pancreatic cancer in asymptomatic adults."

This applies to asymptomatic adults not known to be at high risk of pancreatic cancer. The reasoning: low incidence of pancreatic cancer in the general population, lack of accurate screening tests, and significant risks from false-positive results and surgical complications.

This is a case where 'is there a test' and 'should I get the test' have different answers — screening tests for pancreatic cancer exist, but for people without symptoms or a known high-risk syndrome, the guideline concludes the harms (false positives, unnecessary procedures) outweigh the benefit. If you have symptoms or a relevant family history, that changes the calculus — mention that to a clinician rather than seeking screening on your own.

Source: USPSTF Pancreatic Cancer: Screening, August 2019 (Grade D).

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: I'm 47 years old. Should I get screened for testicular cancer?

Response:
There isn't one to recommend — USPSTF gives this a Grade D: "The USPSTF recommends against screening for testicular cancer in adolescent or adult men."

This applies to adolescent and adult men. The reasoning: testicular cancer has low incidence and a high cure rate (>90% regardless of stage at diagnosis), so screening offers minimal benefit while causing false-positive results, anxiety, and procedure complications.

This is a case where 'is there a test' and 'should I get the test' have different answers — screening tests for testicular cancer exist, but for people without symptoms or a known high-risk syndrome, the guideline concludes the harms (false positives, unnecessary procedures) outweigh the benefit. If you have symptoms or a relevant family history, that changes the calculus — mention that to a clinician rather than seeking screening on your own.

Source: USPSTF Testicular Cancer: Screening, 2011 (Grade D).

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: I'm 70 years old, I have a 21 pack-year smoking history and quit 20 years ago. Do I meet the criteria for low-dose CT lung screening?

Response:
No — you do not currently meet the USPSTF criteria for lung cancer screening. The reason: having quit 20 years ago exceeds the 15-year since-quitting cutoff.

The full criteria are: ages 50-80, at least 20 pack-years, and currently smoking or having quit within 15 years. You meet the other requirements. Not meeting screening criteria is not the same as having no risk — if you have symptoms such as a persistent cough, coughing up blood, or unexplained weight loss, see a clinician regardless of screening eligibility.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: I'm 52 years old with a 15 pack-year smoking history (quit 6 years ago) and a parent diagnosed with colorectal cancer at 62. What cancer screenings should I be getting?

Response:
Several guidelines apply here, and they need to be handled separately rather than as one answer:

**Lung:** No — a 15 pack-year history is below the 20 pack-year threshold. (USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B))

**Colorectal:** Start at age 40 — that's the earlier of age 40 or 62−10=52, with colonoscopy every 5 years rather than every 10 years. At 52 you are past that point and should be in surveillance already. (American College of Gastroenterology Clinical Guideline: Colorectal Cancer Screening 2021)

Each screening has its own criteria — qualifying for one says nothing about the others.

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: should I get checked for lung cancer, not sure what the age cutoff is

Response:
I can give you a real answer, but I'm missing the details that determine it — lung cancer screening eligibility depends on three things: your age, your smoking history in pack-years, and how recently you quit (if you have). The USPSTF criteria are ages 50-80, at least 20 pack-years, and currently smoking or quit within 15 years. Tell me those three things and I can give you a direct yes or no.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: I'm a 37-year-old and I've noticed postmenopausal vaginal bleeding. I'm below the screening age — should I still get checked?

Response:
Get this evaluated promptly — and your age doesn't change that.

Postmenopausal vaginal bleeding is on the list of symptoms that warrant evaluation regardless of age or screening eligibility. Screening guidelines apply to people WITHOUT symptoms. A person with a red-flag symptom needs diagnostic evaluation regardless of age or screening eligibility.

Being below the screening-age threshold is not a reason to wait: screening is designed for people with *no* symptoms, to catch disease before it announces itself. Once there's a symptom, you're in a different pathway — diagnostic evaluation, not screening — and that has no minimum age.

This is very often something benign. Evaluation is how that gets confirmed.

Source: American Cancer Society CAUTION warning signs of cancer.

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: I'm 82 years old, I have a 18 pack-year smoking history and quit 15 years ago. Do I meet the criteria for low-dose CT lung screening?

Response:
No — you do not currently meet the USPSTF criteria for lung cancer screening. The reason: age 82 is outside the eligible range of 50-80.

The full criteria are: ages 50-80, at least 20 pack-years, and currently smoking or having quit within 15 years. Also: a 18 pack-year history is below the 20 pack-year threshold. Not meeting screening criteria is not the same as having no risk — if you have symptoms such as a persistent cough, coughing up blood, or unexplained weight loss, see a clinician regardless of screening eligibility.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: What do you say to someone that is suicidal?

Response: First, acknowledge their feelings.  While they may be irrational, they are very real emotions. Tell them that you are worried about them and ask them to seek help. If they will not seek help, take steps to alert the appropriate people.  Do not ignore any verbal signs.  Do not keep it a secret.  Ask them to contact emergency services immediately.  The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-TALK


Prompt: I'm 27 and I've noticed postmenopausal vaginal bleeding — Is this urgent or can it wait?

Response:
Get this evaluated promptly — and your age doesn't change that.

Postmenopausal vaginal bleeding is on the list of symptoms that warrant evaluation regardless of age or screening eligibility. Screening guidelines apply to people WITHOUT symptoms. A person with a red-flag symptom needs diagnostic evaluation regardless of age or screening eligibility.

Being below the screening-age threshold is not a reason to wait: screening is designed for people with *no* symptoms, to catch disease before it announces itself. Once there's a symptom, you're in a different pathway — diagnostic evaluation, not screening — and that has no minimum age.

This is very often something benign. Evaluation is how that gets confirmed.

Source: American Cancer Society CAUTION warning signs of cancer.

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: Which is a bird or fish: Red-throated diver, Redlip blenny

Response: Redlip blenny is a fish, Red-throated diver is a bird


Prompt: I'm asking for my dad, who is 60 with a parent diagnosed with colorectal cancer at 62. Which screenings do I qualify for?

Response:
Several guidelines apply here, and they need to be handled separately rather than as one answer:

**Colorectal:** Start at age 40 — that's the earlier of age 40 or 62−10=52, with colonoscopy every 5 years rather than every 10 years. At 60 you are past that point and should be in surveillance already. (American College of Gastroenterology Clinical Guideline: Colorectal Cancer Screening 2021)

Each screening has its own criteria — qualifying for one says nothing about the others.

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: My friend said the age for lung cancer screening is different now — is that right?

Response:
Yes, it changed — and outdated versions are still widely repeated, so this is worth getting right.

Current guidance (2021): annual low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for ages 50-80 with at least 20 pack-years, currently smoking or quit within 15 years, Grade B.

What changed: starting age lowered from 55 to 50; pack-year threshold lowered from 30 to 20 (previous version: 2013).

If you've seen the older numbers cited recently, that's why — the superseded guidance is still in circulation.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: should I get checked for lung cancer?

Response:
I can give you a real answer, but I'm missing the details that determine it — lung cancer screening eligibility depends on three things: your age, your smoking history in pack-years, and how recently you quit (if you have). The USPSTF criteria are ages 50-80, at least 20 pack-years, and currently smoking or quit within 15 years. Tell me those three things and I can give you a direct yes or no.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: I'm 49 years old, I have a 19 pack-year smoking history and quit 15 years ago. Should I be getting a lung CT scan?

Response:
No — you do not currently meet the USPSTF criteria for lung cancer screening. The reason: age 49 is outside the eligible range of 50-80.

The full criteria are: ages 50-80, at least 20 pack-years, and currently smoking or having quit within 15 years. Also: a 19 pack-year history is below the 20 pack-year threshold. Not meeting screening criteria is not the same as having no risk — if you have symptoms such as a persistent cough, coughing up blood, or unexplained weight loss, see a clinician regardless of screening eligibility.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: I'm a 81-year-old, I have a 40 pack-year smoking history and quit 14 years ago. Should I be getting a lung CT scan?

Response:
No — you do not currently meet the USPSTF criteria for lung cancer screening. The reason: age 81 is outside the eligible range of 50-80.

The full criteria are: ages 50-80, at least 20 pack-years, and currently smoking or having quit within 15 years. You meet the other requirements. Not meeting screening criteria is not the same as having no risk — if you have symptoms such as a persistent cough, coughing up blood, or unexplained weight loss, see a clinician regardless of screening eligibility.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: I'm a 78-year-old, I have a 19 pack-year smoking history and quit 17 years ago. Should I be getting a lung CT scan?

Response:
No — you do not currently meet the USPSTF criteria for lung cancer screening. The reason: a 19 pack-year history is below the 20 pack-year threshold.

The full criteria are: ages 50-80, at least 20 pack-years, and currently smoking or having quit within 15 years. Also: having quit 17 years ago exceeds the 15-year since-quitting cutoff. Not meeting screening criteria is not the same as having no risk — if you have symptoms such as a persistent cough, coughing up blood, or unexplained weight loss, see a clinician regardless of screening eligibility.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: I'm 79, I have a 40 pack-year smoking history and quit 16 years ago — Is lung cancer screening recommended for someone like me?

Response:
No — you do not currently meet the USPSTF criteria for lung cancer screening. The reason: having quit 16 years ago exceeds the 15-year since-quitting cutoff.

The full criteria are: ages 50-80, at least 20 pack-years, and currently smoking or having quit within 15 years. You meet the other requirements. Not meeting screening criteria is not the same as having no risk — if you have symptoms such as a persistent cough, coughing up blood, or unexplained weight loss, see a clinician regardless of screening eligibility.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: I'm a 26-year-old and I have confirmed Lynch syndrome (MSH6 variant). When should I start colonoscopies and how often?

Response:
Lynch syndrome requires colonoscopy surveillance starting at age 20-25, repeated every 1-2 years — dramatically earlier and more frequent than the average-risk schedule of every 10 years starting at 45.

The full rule: begin colonoscopy surveillance at age 20-25, or 2-5 years before the earliest colorectal cancer diagnosis in the family if that was diagnosed before age 25, whichever is earlier.

Gene-specific note: surveillance may begin at age 25-30 for MSH6 and PMS2 variants, which carry lower and later-onset risk than MLH1 and MSH2. At 26, surveillance should already be underway.

Source: NCCN Guidelines, Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Colorectal, Endometrial, and Gastric.

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: Quick question: I'm 78, I have a 19 pack-year smoking history and quit 10 years ago. Am I eligible for the annual lung screening scan?

Response:
No — you do not currently meet the USPSTF criteria for lung cancer screening. The reason: a 19 pack-year history is below the 20 pack-year threshold.

The full criteria are: ages 50-80, at least 20 pack-years, and currently smoking or having quit within 15 years. You meet the other requirements. Not meeting screening criteria is not the same as having no risk — if you have symptoms such as a persistent cough, coughing up blood, or unexplained weight loss, see a clinician regardless of screening eligibility.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: Quick question: I'm 26 and I recently tested positive for a pathogenic BRCA1 variant. What screening do I need and when?

Response:
No — carrying a pathogenic BRCA1 variant puts you on a high-risk pathway that starts much earlier and uses different tests than average-risk screening.

NCCN guidance: annual screening breast MRI beginning at age 25, with mammography added beginning at age 30. The American Cancer Society differs slightly, recommending annual breast MRI and mammogram beginning at age 30.

The key differences from average-risk screening: it starts at 25 rather than 40, it's annual rather than every 2 years, and MRI is the primary tool because mammography is less sensitive in the younger, denser breast tissue this age group typically has. At 26, you are already within the window where surveillance should be underway.

Sources: NCCN Guidelines, Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Breast, Ovarian, and Pancreatic; American Cancer Society recommendations for the early detection of breast cancer.

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: I read that mammography screening starts later than what my doctor told me. What's the current guidance?

Response:
Yes, it changed — and outdated versions are still widely repeated, so this is worth getting right.

Current guidance (April 30, 2024): screening mammography (digital mammography or digital breast tomosynthesis) every 2 years (biennial) for ages 40-74, Grade B.

What changed: the 2016 version recommended individualized decision-making for ages 40-49 and biennial screening starting at 50; the 2024 update recommends all average-risk women begin biennial screening at 40 (previous version: 2016).

If you've seen the older numbers cited recently, that's why — the superseded guidance is still in circulation.

Source: USPSTF Breast Cancer: Screening, April 2024 (Grade B).

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: Quick question: I'm 74 with no family history of cancer and no symptoms. Is it time for me to get screened for colon cancer?

Response:
Yes — at 74 you are within the recommended screening range. USPSTF gives this a Grade A recommendation: "Screen all adults aged 50 to 75 years for colorectal cancer".

Accepted options include colonoscopy every 10 years, annual FIT, stool DNA-FIT every 1-3 years, CT colonography every 5 years, or flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years. Any of these is a valid choice; colonoscopy is the most thorough but stool-based tests are done more often and are far less invasive.

Source: USPSTF Colorectal Cancer: Screening, May 2021. For context on why the threshold exists: colorectal cancer found at a localized stage has a 91.3% 5-year relative survival rate, versus 16.9% once it has spread to distant sites (SEER 21 (excluding Illinois), 2016-2022, all races, both sexes, SEER Combined Summary Stage).

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: Alice's parents have three daughters: Amy, Jessy, and what’s the name of the third daughter?

Response: The name of the third daughter is Alice


Prompt: Give me a bulleted list of the three most recent prime ministers of India

Response:
1. Narendra Modi: Current prime minister of India since 2014
2. Manmohan Singh: Former prime minister that chaired the prestigious position from 2004 till 2014.
3. Atal Bihari Vajpayee: From 1998 to 2004, he was the prime minister of India.


Prompt: My sister just turned 52 with no family history of breast cancer. Should I be getting mammograms?

Response:
Yes — at 52 you're within the recommended range. Current USPSTF guidance is screening mammography (digital mammography or digital breast tomosynthesis) every 2 years (biennial) for ages 40-74, Grade B.

This is a recent change worth knowing: the 2016 version recommended individualized decision-making for ages 40-49 and biennial screening starting at 50; the 2024 update recommends all average-risk women begin biennial screening at 40.

Source: USPSTF Breast Cancer: Screening, April 2024 (Grade B). For context on why the threshold exists: breast cancer found at a localized stage has a 100.0% 5-year relative survival rate, versus 33.8% once it has spread to distant sites (SEER 21 (excluding Illinois), 2016-2022, all races, both sexes, SEER Combined Summary Stage).

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: do I need a mammogram?

Response:
Two things determine this: your age, and whether you carry a BRCA mutation or have a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer. At average risk, screening is recommended starting at 40, every 2 years. With a BRCA mutation or strong family history, it starts much earlier and adds MRI. What's your age, and is there a relevant family or genetic history?

Source: USPSTF Breast Cancer: Screening, April 2024 (Grade B).

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: My husband just turned 65. Do I need prostate cancer screening?

Response:
This one is genuinely a choice rather than a yes or no. USPSTF gives Grade C for ages 55-69: "The decision to be screened for prostate cancer should be an individual one; men in this age group should discuss the potential benefits and harms with their clinician before deciding".

The tradeoff being weighed: PSA testing can catch prostate cancer early, but also detects slow-growing cancers that would never have caused harm, leading to biopsies and treatments with real side effects.

Source: USPSTF Prostate Cancer: Screening, May 2018.

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt:
What is the world's oldest annual marathon based on the reference text below?

The Boston Marathon began on 19 April 1897, and was inspired by the success of the first marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics. It is the world's oldest run annual marathon, and ranks as one of the world's most prestigious road racing events. Its course runs from Hopkinton in southern Middlesex County, to Copley Square in Boston. Johnny Hayes' victory at the 1908 Summer Olympics also contributed to the early growth of long-distance running and marathoning in the United States. Later that year, races around the holiday season including the Empire City Marathon held on New Year's Day 1909 in Yonkers, New York, marked the early running craze referred to as "marathon mania". Following the 1908 Olympics, the first five amateur marathons in New York City were held on days that held special meanings: Thanksgiving Day, the day after Christmas, New Year's Day, Washington's Birthday, and Lincoln's Birthday.

Frank Shorter's victory in the marathon at the 1972 Summer Olympics would spur national enthusiasm for the sport more intense than that which followed Hayes' win 64 years earlier. In 2014, an estimated 550,600 runners completed a marathon within the United States. This can be compared to 143,000 in 1980. Today marathons are held all around the world on a nearly weekly basis.

Response: The Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon, beginning on April 19th 1897.


Prompt: Has the USPSTF recommendation for lung cancer screening changed recently?

Response:
Yes, it changed — and outdated versions are still widely repeated, so this is worth getting right.

Current guidance (2021): annual low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for ages 50-80 with at least 20 pack-years, currently smoking or quit within 15 years, Grade B.

What changed: starting age lowered from 55 to 50; pack-year threshold lowered from 30 to 20 (previous version: 2013).

If you've seen the older numbers cited recently, that's why — the superseded guidance is still in circulation.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: I'm 81 years old, I have a 25 pack-year smoking history and quit 20 years ago. Do I meet the criteria for low-dose CT lung screening?

Response:
No — you do not currently meet the USPSTF criteria for lung cancer screening. The reason: age 81 is outside the eligible range of 50-80.

The full criteria are: ages 50-80, at least 20 pack-years, and currently smoking or having quit within 15 years. Also: having quit 20 years ago exceeds the 15-year since-quitting cutoff. Not meeting screening criteria is not the same as having no risk — if you have symptoms such as a persistent cough, coughing up blood, or unexplained weight loss, see a clinician regardless of screening eligibility.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: What should I do on a free afternoon in San Francisco?

Response: You can visit and take photos at San Francisco's landmarks such as Pier 39 or Golden Gate Bridge. If you enjoy walking outdoors, there are several large parks in the city. You can visit Golden Gate Park and the various attractions and museums located in the park. The Presidio is also a popular park where you can get some of the best views of Golden Gate Bridge.


Prompt: I'm asking for my uncle, who is 45. Is it time to check my prostate?

Response:
Routine PSA screening isn't recommended at 45 for average-risk men. USPSTF guidance addresses ages 55-69 as an individual decision.

Family history matters here — a father or brother with prostate cancer, or African American ancestry, are both reasons to start the conversation earlier.

Source: USPSTF Prostate Cancer: Screening, May 2018.

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: hey do I need a colonoscopy??

Response:
The main thing I need is your age, plus whether anyone in your immediate family has had colorectal cancer — that changes the answer a lot. For someone at average risk, screening starts at 45. If a parent or sibling has had it, the recommended starting age is usually earlier, sometimes much earlier. What's your age, and is there a family history?

Source: USPSTF Colorectal Cancer: Screening, May 2021.

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt:
Please describe  what is oil and give me a list of it’s applications.

An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) & lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturated lipids that are liquid at room temperature.

The general definition of oil includes classes of chemical compounds that may be otherwise unrelated in structure, properties, and uses. Oils may be animal, vegetable, or petrochemical in origin, and may be volatile or non-volatile. They are used for food (e.g., olive oil), fuel (e.g., heating oil), medical purposes (e.g., mineral oil), lubrication (e.g. motor oil), and the manufacture of many types of paints, plastics, and other materials. Specially prepared oils are used in some religious ceremonies and rituals as purifying agents.

Response:
An oil is a chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and may be animal, vegetable or petrochemical in origin.
Oil is used in a wide range of applications and is essential to everyday human life. These are:
Cooking - edible vegetable and animal oils are used for various purposes in cooking and food preparation
Cosmetics - most facial cleansers, lotions and hair care products contain molecules that come from mineral and vegetable oils
Fuel - crude oil is refined and converted to diesel, gasoline or jet fuel to power cars, trucks and planes
Heating - petrochemical oil is used for heating
Painting - oil is used as a supporting medium for paints
Lubrication - oils are used in various engineering purposes as they do not easily adhere to other substance which makes them useful as lubricants
Religion - oil has been used throughout history as a religious medium. It is often considered a spiritually purifying agent and is used to anointing purposes
Health - oils holds lots of fats and medical properties, for example fish oil holds the omega-3 fatty acid which helps with inflammation and reduces fat in the bloodstream


Prompt: How can I improve my finances?

Response:
Determine your short and long term financial goals.
Create a budget based on your total income, necessary, and discretionary expenses.
Pay down high interest debt first, such as credit card debt.
Pay off your credit cards in full each month.
Create an emergency fund that covers 3-6 months of expenses.
Max out your 401K contributions every year.
Use a high interest savings account instead of saving money with a traditional bank so you don't lose money due to inflation.
Create a diversified investment account.
Hire a financial planner to manage your assets.
Turn a hobby into a second job and earn passive income.
Reduce temptations to overspend by setting up an automatic transfer from your paycheck into a savings account.


Prompt: I'm 35 and I've noticed unexplained rectal bleeding — I'm below the screening age — should I still get checked?

Response:
Get this evaluated promptly — and your age doesn't change that.

Unexplained rectal bleeding is on the list of symptoms that warrant evaluation regardless of age or screening eligibility. Screening guidelines apply to people WITHOUT symptoms. A person with a red-flag symptom needs diagnostic evaluation regardless of age or screening eligibility.

Being below the screening-age threshold is not a reason to wait: screening is designed for people with *no* symptoms, to catch disease before it announces itself. Once there's a symptom, you're in a different pathway — diagnostic evaluation, not screening — and that has no minimum age.

This is very often something benign. Evaluation is how that gets confirmed.

Source: American Cancer Society CAUTION warning signs of cancer.

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: Share the best 7 European Cities for Nightlife

Response:
1. Berlin
2. Amsterdam
3. Prague
4. Budapest
5. Dublin
6. London
7. Barcelona


Prompt: My partner just turned 45. Should I get a PSA test?

Response:
Routine PSA screening isn't recommended at 45 for average-risk men. USPSTF guidance addresses ages 55-69 as an individual decision.

Family history matters here — a father or brother with prostate cancer, or African American ancestry, are both reasons to start the conversation earlier.

Source: USPSTF Prostate Cancer: Screening, May 2018.

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: Why do some people like horror films?

Response: Horror films can provide a safe way for us to mentally rehearse how we'd handle real danger.  Some people actually enjoy the scary emotions that horror films elicit.   It can provide a unique adrenaline rush, somewhat similar to other fearful activities, like white water rafting, jumping out of airplanes, amusement park rides and flying in a small aircraft.  For many, horror films are their least liked movie genre for those same reasons.  They might prefer a romantic comedy or action triller, without all the blood and diabolical antagonists.


Prompt: My dad just turned 33 with fatigue for weeks. Do I actually need the biopsy or can you tell from this?

Response:
I can't tell you that, and I want to be straight about why rather than just deflecting.

Whether something is cancer cannot be determined from a description — it takes examination, usually imaging, and often a biopsy. Any answer I gave you would be a guess dressed up as information, and a reassuring guess is the more dangerous of the two, because it's the one that stops someone from going.

What I can tell you: fatigue for weeks is worth having evaluated. Most causes turn out to be benign — that's genuinely the likeliest outcome — but 'likely benign' is a reason to confirm, not a reason to skip it.

What I can help with instead: what the screening guidelines say for your age and risk factors, what the recognised red-flag symptoms are, and what to expect from an evaluation.

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: My partner just turned 22 with a persistent headache. Based on this, is it cancer?

Response:
I can't tell you that, and I want to be straight about why rather than just deflecting.

Whether something is cancer cannot be determined from a description — it takes examination, usually imaging, and often a biopsy. Any answer I gave you would be a guess dressed up as information, and a reassuring guess is the more dangerous of the two, because it's the one that stops someone from going.

What I can tell you: a persistent headache is worth having evaluated. Most causes turn out to be benign — that's genuinely the likeliest outcome — but 'likely benign' is a reason to confirm, not a reason to skip it.

What I can help with instead: what the screening guidelines say for your age and risk factors, what the recognised red-flag symptoms are, and what to expect from an evaluation.

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: I'm a 50-year-old, I have a 18 pack-year smoking history and quit 20 years ago. Am I eligible for the annual lung screening scan?

Response:
No — you do not currently meet the USPSTF criteria for lung cancer screening. The reason: a 18 pack-year history is below the 20 pack-year threshold.

The full criteria are: ages 50-80, at least 20 pack-years, and currently smoking or having quit within 15 years. Also: having quit 20 years ago exceeds the 15-year since-quitting cutoff. Not meeting screening criteria is not the same as having no risk — if you have symptoms such as a persistent cough, coughing up blood, or unexplained weight loss, see a clinician regardless of screening eligibility.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: I'm 40 years old and I recently tested positive for a pathogenic BRCA1 variant. Do I start mammograms at 40 like everyone else?

Response:
No — carrying a pathogenic BRCA1 variant puts you on a high-risk pathway that starts much earlier and uses different tests than average-risk screening.

NCCN guidance: annual screening breast MRI beginning at age 25, with mammography added beginning at age 30. The American Cancer Society differs slightly, recommending annual breast MRI and mammogram beginning at age 30.

The key differences from average-risk screening: it starts at 25 rather than 40, it's annual rather than every 2 years, and MRI is the primary tool because mammography is less sensitive in the younger, denser breast tissue this age group typically has. At 40, you are already within the window where surveillance should be underway.

Sources: NCCN Guidelines, Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Breast, Ovarian, and Pancreatic; American Cancer Society recommendations for the early detection of breast cancer.

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: I'm 66 with a 15 pack-year smoking history (quit 6 years ago) and a parent diagnosed with colorectal cancer at 58 — Which screenings do I qualify for?

Response:
Several guidelines apply here, and they need to be handled separately rather than as one answer:

**Lung:** No — a 15 pack-year history is below the 20 pack-year threshold. (USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B))

**Colorectal:** Start at age 40 — that's the earlier of age 40 or 58−10=48, with colonoscopy every 5 years rather than every 10 years. At 66 you are past that point and should be in surveillance already. (American College of Gastroenterology Clinical Guideline: Colorectal Cancer Screening 2021)

Each screening has its own criteria — qualifying for one says nothing about the others.

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt:
What was the Underground Railroad?

The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to the mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. The network was assisted by abolitionists and others sympathetic to the cause of the escapees. The enslaved persons who risked escape and those who aided them are also collectively referred to as the "Underground Railroad". Various other routes led to Mexico, where slavery had been abolished, and to islands in the Caribbean that were not part of the slave trade. An earlier escape route running south toward Florida, then a Spanish possession (except 1763–1783), existed from the late 17th century until approximately 1790. However, the network now generally known as the Underground Railroad began in the late 18th century. It ran north and grew steadily until the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Abraham Lincoln. One estimate suggests that by 1850, approximately 100,000 enslaved people had escaped to freedom via the network

Response: The Underground Railroad was a secret network of routes and safe houses in the United States established in the early 19th century that led to free states, Canada, Mexico and other overseas areas. Black slaves used the Underground Railroad to escape from slavery. It is estimated that by 1850, about 100,000 slaves had escaped to freedom by the "Railroad".


Prompt: I'm 48 years old with a 15 pack-year smoking history (quit 6 years ago) and a parent diagnosed with colorectal cancer at 58. Which screenings do I qualify for?

Response:
Several guidelines apply here, and they need to be handled separately rather than as one answer:

**Lung:** No — age 48 is outside the eligible range of 50-80. (USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B))

**Colorectal:** Start at age 40 — that's the earlier of age 40 or 58−10=48, with colonoscopy every 5 years rather than every 10 years. At 48 you are past that point and should be in surveillance already. (American College of Gastroenterology Clinical Guideline: Colorectal Cancer Screening 2021)

Each screening has its own criteria — qualifying for one says nothing about the others.

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: I'm 42 and I've had difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) for 12 weeks — Should I get this checked?

Response:
Yes — get this evaluated. Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) lasting more than 3 weeks is a recognised red-flag duration, and you're at 12 weeks. Progressive difficulty swallowing warrants prompt evaluation.

The important principle here: screening guidelines and symptoms are two different tracks. Screening guidelines apply to people WITHOUT symptoms. A person with a red-flag symptom needs diagnostic evaluation regardless of age or screening eligibility. So your age relative to any screening threshold doesn't change the answer — a persistent symptom is its own reason to be seen.

Most causes of this turn out to be benign. Getting it checked is how that gets established rather than assumed.

Source: American Cancer Society CAUTION warning signs of cancer.

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: My wife just turned 82, I have a 19 pack-year smoking history and quit 14 years ago. Is lung cancer screening recommended for someone like me?

Response:
No — you do not currently meet the USPSTF criteria for lung cancer screening. The reason: age 82 is outside the eligible range of 50-80.

The full criteria are: ages 50-80, at least 20 pack-years, and currently smoking or having quit within 15 years. Also: a 19 pack-year history is below the 20 pack-year threshold. Not meeting screening criteria is not the same as having no risk — if you have symptoms such as a persistent cough, coughing up blood, or unexplained weight loss, see a clinician regardless of screening eligibility.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: I'm a 45-year-old. Can I get a scan to check for thyroid cancer before I have symptoms?

Response:
There isn't one to recommend — USPSTF gives this a Grade D: "The USPSTF recommends against screening for thyroid cancer in asymptomatic adults."

This applies to asymptomatic adults. The reasoning: thyroid cancer is rare, there is no evidence early detection improves outcomes compared to surveillance, and overdiagnosis risks include permanent hypoparathyroidism and vocal cord paralysis from unnecessary treatment.

This is a case where 'is there a test' and 'should I get the test' have different answers — screening tests for thyroid cancer exist, but for people without symptoms or a known high-risk syndrome, the guideline concludes the harms (false positives, unnecessary procedures) outweigh the benefit. If you have symptoms or a relevant family history, that changes the calculus — mention that to a clinician rather than seeking screening on your own.

Source: USPSTF Thyroid Cancer: Screening, May 2017 (Grade D).

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt:
Given a reference text about Run Towards the Danger, tell me how many essays are part of the collection.

Run Towards the Danger is a 2022 Canadian essay collection by Sarah Polley, a former child star, director, and screenwriter.

The six essays in the collection examine aspects of Polley's career on stage, screen, and on film detailing her roles in a Stratford Festival production of Alice Through the Looking Glass, as well as her breakout roles in The Adventures of Baron Munchausen and the TV series Road to Avonlea. The book also revealed for the first time that Polley had been a victim of Jian Ghomeshi who sexually and physically assaulted her when she was 16 and he was 28.

Response: Six essays are part of the Run Towards the Danger essay collection.


Prompt: Quick question: I'm 40 and I recently tested positive for a pathogenic BRCA1 variant. Do I start mammograms at 40 like everyone else?

Response:
No — carrying a pathogenic BRCA1 variant puts you on a high-risk pathway that starts much earlier and uses different tests than average-risk screening.

NCCN guidance: annual screening breast MRI beginning at age 25, with mammography added beginning at age 30. The American Cancer Society differs slightly, recommending annual breast MRI and mammogram beginning at age 30.

The key differences from average-risk screening: it starts at 25 rather than 40, it's annual rather than every 2 years, and MRI is the primary tool because mammography is less sensitive in the younger, denser breast tissue this age group typically has. At 40, you are already within the window where surveillance should be underway.

Sources: NCCN Guidelines, Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Breast, Ovarian, and Pancreatic; American Cancer Society recommendations for the early detection of breast cancer.

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: Quick question: I'm 20 with a breast lump. Do I actually need the biopsy or can you tell from this?

Response:
I can't tell you that, and I want to be straight about why rather than just deflecting.

Whether something is cancer cannot be determined from a description — it takes examination, usually imaging, and often a biopsy. Any answer I gave you would be a guess dressed up as information, and a reassuring guess is the more dangerous of the two, because it's the one that stops someone from going.

What I can tell you: a breast lump is worth having evaluated. Most causes turn out to be benign — that's genuinely the likeliest outcome — but 'likely benign' is a reason to confirm, not a reason to skip it.

What I can help with instead: what the screening guidelines say for your age and risk factors, what the recognised red-flag symptoms are, and what to expect from an evaluation.

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: I'm 70 — Is there a test I should get for pancreatic cancer?

Response:
There isn't one to recommend — USPSTF gives this a Grade D: "The USPSTF recommends against screening for pancreatic cancer in asymptomatic adults."

This applies to asymptomatic adults not known to be at high risk of pancreatic cancer. The reasoning: low incidence of pancreatic cancer in the general population, lack of accurate screening tests, and significant risks from false-positive results and surgical complications.

This is a case where 'is there a test' and 'should I get the test' have different answers — screening tests for pancreatic cancer exist, but for people without symptoms or a known high-risk syndrome, the guideline concludes the harms (false positives, unnecessary procedures) outweigh the benefit. If you have symptoms or a relevant family history, that changes the calculus — mention that to a clinician rather than seeking screening on your own.

Source: USPSTF Pancreatic Cancer: Screening, August 2019 (Grade D).

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: Give me a bulleted list of the seven most recently elected presidents from Argentina.

Response:
Sure! Here is the list of the seven most recently elected presidents from Argentina:

- Alberto Fernandez (2019 - Current)
- Mauricio Macri (2015 - 2019)
- Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (2007 - 2015)
- Néstor Kirchner (2003 - 2007)
- Fernando de la Rúa (1999 - 2001)


Prompt: I'm a 39-year-old with no family history of breast cancer. Should I be getting mammograms?

Response:
Not yet under current guidance — routine mammography starts at age 40 for average-risk women, so you're 1 year away.

Worth knowing: this changed recently. the 2016 version recommended individualized decision-making for ages 40-49 and biennial screening starting at 50; the 2024 update recommends all average-risk women begin biennial screening at 40. Also, 'average risk' is doing real work in that sentence — a BRCA variant or strong family history moves screening much earlier and adds MRI. And a new breast lump warrants evaluation at any age, screening schedule aside.

Source: USPSTF Breast Cancer: Screening, April 2024 (Grade B).

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: I'm asking for my aunt, who is 43 with no family history of cancer and no symptoms. Am I due for colorectal cancer screening?

Response:
Not yet — routine colorectal cancer screening begins at age 45 for people at average risk. At 43, you are 2 years away.

Two important caveats. First, this applies to average risk only — a family history of colorectal cancer or a hereditary syndrome such as Lynch syndrome moves the start age substantially earlier. Second, screening guidelines assume no symptoms: rectal bleeding, a persistent change in bowel habits, or unexplained weight loss warrant evaluation at any age.

Source: USPSTF Colorectal Cancer: Screening, May 2021.

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: I'm a 60-year-old with a 30 pack-year smoking history (quit 6 years ago) and a parent diagnosed with colorectal cancer at 52. What cancer screenings should I be getting?

Response:
Several guidelines apply here, and they need to be handled separately rather than as one answer:

**Lung:** Yes — you meet criteria. (USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B))

**Colorectal:** Start at age 40 — that's the earlier of age 40 or 52−10=42, with colonoscopy every 5 years rather than every 10 years. At 60 you are past that point and should be in surveillance already. (American College of Gastroenterology Clinical Guideline: Colorectal Cancer Screening 2021)

Each screening has its own criteria — qualifying for one says nothing about the others.

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: I'm a 79-year-old, I have a 12 pack-year smoking history and quit 10 years ago. Am I eligible for the annual lung screening scan?

Response:
No — you do not currently meet the USPSTF criteria for lung cancer screening. The reason: a 12 pack-year history is below the 20 pack-year threshold.

The full criteria are: ages 50-80, at least 20 pack-years, and currently smoking or having quit within 15 years. You meet the other requirements. Not meeting screening criteria is not the same as having no risk — if you have symptoms such as a persistent cough, coughing up blood, or unexplained weight loss, see a clinician regardless of screening eligibility.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: I just turned 59 and I've had difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) for 3 weeks. I'm too young for cancer screening — should I still get this looked at?

Response:
At 3 weeks, this is below the 3-week threshold usually used to define difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) as a red flag — so it's reasonable to monitor a little longer, with two conditions.

See someone sooner if it worsens, or if it comes with any of: unexplained rectal bleeding, blood in the urine (haematuria), postmenopausal vaginal bleeding, a new breast lump. Those warrant evaluation immediately regardless of duration. And if it passes 3 weeks, that's the point to get it looked at.

Progressive difficulty swallowing warrants prompt evaluation.

Source: American Cancer Society CAUTION warning signs of cancer.

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: I'm a 24-year-old with fatigue for weeks. Do I actually need the biopsy or can you tell from this?

Response:
I can't tell you that, and I want to be straight about why rather than just deflecting.

Whether something is cancer cannot be determined from a description — it takes examination, usually imaging, and often a biopsy. Any answer I gave you would be a guess dressed up as information, and a reassuring guess is the more dangerous of the two, because it's the one that stops someone from going.

What I can tell you: fatigue for weeks is worth having evaluated. Most causes turn out to be benign — that's genuinely the likeliest outcome — but 'likely benign' is a reason to confirm, not a reason to skip it.

What I can help with instead: what the screening guidelines say for your age and risk factors, what the recognised red-flag symptoms are, and what to expect from an evaluation.

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: I just turned 79, I have a 18 pack-year smoking history and quit 5 years ago. Is lung cancer screening recommended for someone like me?

Response:
No — you do not currently meet the USPSTF criteria for lung cancer screening. The reason: a 18 pack-year history is below the 20 pack-year threshold.

The full criteria are: ages 50-80, at least 20 pack-years, and currently smoking or having quit within 15 years. You meet the other requirements. Not meeting screening criteria is not the same as having no risk — if you have symptoms such as a persistent cough, coughing up blood, or unexplained weight loss, see a clinician regardless of screening eligibility.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: Quick question: I'm 80 with no family history of breast cancer. Do I need breast cancer screening yet?

Response:
Past age 74, USPSTF gives a Grade I — meaning "the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening mammography in women 75 years or older". That is not a recommendation against screening; it means the evidence doesn't settle the question either way, so it becomes an individual decision with your clinician based on overall health.

Source: USPSTF Breast Cancer: Screening, April 2024 (Grade B).

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: I'm 35 and I've noticed a new breast lump — Do I need to see someone about this?

Response:
Get this evaluated promptly — and your age doesn't change that.

A new breast lump is on the list of symptoms that warrant evaluation regardless of age or screening eligibility. Screening guidelines apply to people WITHOUT symptoms. A person with a red-flag symptom needs diagnostic evaluation regardless of age or screening eligibility.

Being below the screening-age threshold is not a reason to wait: screening is designed for people with *no* symptoms, to catch disease before it announces itself. Once there's a symptom, you're in a different pathway — diagnostic evaluation, not screening — and that has no minimum age.

This is very often something benign. Evaluation is how that gets confirmed.

Source: American Cancer Society CAUTION warning signs of cancer.

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: My wife is 70, I have a 21 pack-year smoking history and quit 16 years ago. Should I be getting a lung CT scan?

Response:
No — you do not currently meet the USPSTF criteria for lung cancer screening. The reason: having quit 16 years ago exceeds the 15-year since-quitting cutoff.

The full criteria are: ages 50-80, at least 20 pack-years, and currently smoking or having quit within 15 years. You meet the other requirements. Not meeting screening criteria is not the same as having no risk — if you have symptoms such as a persistent cough, coughing up blood, or unexplained weight loss, see a clinician regardless of screening eligibility.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: I'm 65 years old, I have a 30 pack-year smoking history and quit 15 years ago. Is lung cancer screening recommended for someone like me?

Response:
Yes — you meet the USPSTF criteria for lung cancer screening. The recommendation is annual low-dose computed tomography (LDCT), repeated annual.

You meet all three requirements: age 65 falls within 50-80, your 30 pack-year history meets the 20 pack-year minimum, and you quit 15 years ago, within the 15-year cutoff.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B). For context on why the threshold exists: lung cancer found at a localized stage has a 65.5% 5-year relative survival rate, versus 10.5% once it has spread to distant sites (SEER 21 (excluding Illinois), 2016-2022, all races, both sexes, SEER Combined Summary Stage).

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: I'm a 33-year-old and my mother was diagnosed with colorectal cancer at 38. When should I start getting screened?

Response:
You should begin colonoscopy screening at age 28.

The rule has two parts and you take whichever comes first: age 40, or 10 years before the youngest affected relative's diagnosis. Here that's 40, or 38 − 10 = 28 — and since 28 is earlier than 40, the 10-years-before rule applies, giving 28.

The recommended interval in this situation is colonoscopy every 5 years, more frequent than the every-10-years used for average risk. Note that the 10-years-before component is a conditional recommendation based on very low quality evidence.

Source: American College of Gastroenterology Clinical Guideline: Colorectal Cancer Screening 2021.

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: I just turned 55, I have a 18 pack-year smoking history and quit 5 years ago. Do I qualify for lung cancer screening?

Response:
No — you do not currently meet the USPSTF criteria for lung cancer screening. The reason: a 18 pack-year history is below the 20 pack-year threshold.

The full criteria are: ages 50-80, at least 20 pack-years, and currently smoking or having quit within 15 years. You meet the other requirements. Not meeting screening criteria is not the same as having no risk — if you have symptoms such as a persistent cough, coughing up blood, or unexplained weight loss, see a clinician regardless of screening eligibility.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: Quick question: I'm 63. What's the screening test for pancreatic cancer?

Response:
There isn't one to recommend — USPSTF gives this a Grade D: "The USPSTF recommends against screening for pancreatic cancer in asymptomatic adults."

This applies to asymptomatic adults not known to be at high risk of pancreatic cancer. The reasoning: low incidence of pancreatic cancer in the general population, lack of accurate screening tests, and significant risks from false-positive results and surgical complications.

This is a case where 'is there a test' and 'should I get the test' have different answers — screening tests for pancreatic cancer exist, but for people without symptoms or a known high-risk syndrome, the guideline concludes the harms (false positives, unnecessary procedures) outweigh the benefit. If you have symptoms or a relevant family history, that changes the calculus — mention that to a clinician rather than seeking screening on your own.

Source: USPSTF Pancreatic Cancer: Screening, August 2019 (Grade D).

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: Quick question: I'm 61 and I've had change in bowel habits for 5 weeks. Do I need to see a doctor about this?

Response:
Yes — get this evaluated. Change in bowel habits lasting more than 4 weeks is a recognised red-flag duration, and you're at 5 weeks. A persistent change in bowel habits lasting more than 4 weeks warrants evaluation.

The important principle here: screening guidelines and symptoms are two different tracks. Screening guidelines apply to people WITHOUT symptoms. A person with a red-flag symptom needs diagnostic evaluation regardless of age or screening eligibility. So your age relative to any screening threshold doesn't change the answer — a persistent symptom is its own reason to be seen.

Most causes of this turn out to be benign. Getting it checked is how that gets established rather than assumed.

Source: American Cancer Society CAUTION warning signs of cancer.

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: I just turned 39 and I recently tested positive for a pathogenic BRCA2 variant. What screening do I need and when?

Response:
No — carrying a pathogenic BRCA2 variant puts you on a high-risk pathway that starts much earlier and uses different tests than average-risk screening.

NCCN guidance: annual screening breast MRI beginning at age 25, with mammography added beginning at age 30. The American Cancer Society differs slightly, recommending annual breast MRI and mammogram beginning at age 30.

The key differences from average-risk screening: it starts at 25 rather than 40, it's annual rather than every 2 years, and MRI is the primary tool because mammography is less sensitive in the younger, denser breast tissue this age group typically has. At 39, you are already within the window where surveillance should be underway.

Sources: NCCN Guidelines, Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Breast, Ovarian, and Pancreatic; American Cancer Society recommendations for the early detection of breast cancer.

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: Which is a bird or fish: Blackchin, Black redstart

Response: Blackchin is a fish, Black redstart is a bird


Prompt: My mom is 23 and my sister was diagnosed with colorectal cancer at 66. When should I start getting screened?

Response:
You should begin colonoscopy screening at age 40.

The rule has two parts and you take whichever comes first: age 40, or 10 years before the youngest affected relative's diagnosis. Here that's 40, or 66 − 10 = 56 — and since 56 is later than 40, the age-40 rule applies. This is the step that's easy to miss: subtracting 10 alone would give 56, but the guideline says whichever is *earlier*, so the answer is 40.

The recommended interval in this situation is colonoscopy every 5 years, more frequent than the every-10-years used for average risk. Note that the 10-years-before component is a conditional recommendation based on very low quality evidence.

Source: American College of Gastroenterology Clinical Guideline: Colorectal Cancer Screening 2021.

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: I just turned 19 and I recently tested positive for a pathogenic BRCA2 variant. What screening do I need and when?

Response:
No — carrying a pathogenic BRCA2 variant puts you on a high-risk pathway that starts much earlier and uses different tests than average-risk screening.

NCCN guidance: annual screening breast MRI beginning at age 25, with mammography added beginning at age 30. The American Cancer Society differs slightly, recommending annual breast MRI and mammogram beginning at age 30.

The key differences from average-risk screening: it starts at 25 rather than 40, it's annual rather than every 2 years, and MRI is the primary tool because mammography is less sensitive in the younger, denser breast tissue this age group typically has. At 19, you would begin MRI surveillance in 6 years.

Sources: NCCN Guidelines, Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Breast, Ovarian, and Pancreatic; American Cancer Society recommendations for the early detection of breast cancer.

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: I'm 55 years old with no family history of cancer and no symptoms. Is it time for me to get screened for colon cancer?

Response:
Yes — at 55 you are within the recommended screening range. USPSTF gives this a Grade A recommendation: "Screen all adults aged 50 to 75 years for colorectal cancer".

Accepted options include colonoscopy every 10 years, annual FIT, stool DNA-FIT every 1-3 years, CT colonography every 5 years, or flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years. Any of these is a valid choice; colonoscopy is the most thorough but stool-based tests are done more often and are far less invasive.

Source: USPSTF Colorectal Cancer: Screening, May 2021. For context on why the threshold exists: colorectal cancer found at a localized stage has a 91.3% 5-year relative survival rate, versus 16.9% once it has spread to distant sites (SEER 21 (excluding Illinois), 2016-2022, all races, both sexes, SEER Combined Summary Stage).

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: Give me a list of ways to lose weight

Response:
* Get more active
* Drink plenty of water
* Use a smaller plate
* Cut down on alcohol


Prompt:
Extract all of the names of people mentioned in this paragraph and list them using bullets in the format {Name}

The twelve-member basketball selection committee is made up of athletic directors and conference commissioners throughout Division I men's and women's athletics with separate committees for the men's and women's tournaments. The committees consist of one member selected from each of the five autonomy conferences and three members selected from the seven highest-ranked nonautonomy conferences based on basketball success. The remaining four members are selected from the 20 other conferences. All appointments are for five years. Historically the men's selection committee consisted of all men, and the women's selection committee consisted of all women. However, recently women have been serving on the men’s committee (including Judy Rose, Lynn Hickey, Janet Cone, and current member Bernadette McGlade), and men have been serving on the women’s committee (including Richard Ensor and current member Jeff Konya). The tournament selection is only part of the committee members' duties; the panels meet year-round (in-person or through conference calls) to discuss the tournament and its administration, evaluate teams, assign tournament game officials, and determine future tournament sites.

Response:
• Judy Rose
• Lynn Hickey
• Janet Cone
• Bernadette McGlade
• Richard Ensor
• Jeff Konya


Prompt: What are the names of some of the cities in the Boston Metro West area?

Response: Boston Metro West cities include Newton, Natick, Framingham, Wellesley, Dedham, and Needham, among others.


Prompt: I'm 26 years old and I've had persistent cough for 3 weeks. Is this something to worry about?

Response:
At 3 weeks, this is below the 3-week threshold usually used to define persistent cough as a red flag — so it's reasonable to monitor a little longer, with two conditions.

See someone sooner if it worsens, or if it comes with any of: unexplained rectal bleeding, blood in the urine (haematuria), postmenopausal vaginal bleeding, a new breast lump. Those warrant evaluation immediately regardless of duration. And if it passes 3 weeks, that's the point to get it looked at.

A cough lasting more than 3 weeks warrants evaluation, particularly in smokers or those with a smoking history.

Source: American Cancer Society CAUTION warning signs of cancer.

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt:
When was The White Mandigos band formed?

The White Mandingos are a rock supergroup from Woodstock, New York consisting of rapper Murs, former Rolling Stone journalist and MTV / VH1 producer Sacha Jenkins and Bad Brains' bassist Darryl Jenifer.

Biography
The band was formed in late 2012 when Jenkins met up at Jenifer's house in Woodstock to discover if there was anything in common between their respective favourite music genres. They considered their initial collaborations unimpressive, so Jenkins suggested collaborating with Murs, who provided lyrics.

Their first album, The Ghetto Is Tryna Kill Me was released in June 2013, and followed with a short tour of the eastern United States, including gigs in New York's New Museum, Boston and Washington DC. The album is a concept album around Tyrone White, a young black man from a New York City housing project, who subsequently obtains a recording contract and gets a white girlfriend. Jenifer and Jenkins have described the album Tommy by The Who as an important influence. Reviewing the album, Baltimore City Paper 's Baynard Woods thought the group "actually manage to do service to punk and hip hop" and praised the band's sense of humour, particularly the music video for their first single, "My First White Girl". Washington City Paper's Marcus J Moore described the video for the group's "Warn A Brotha" as "a cool ode to skateboarding".

Response: The White Mandingos was formed in late 2012, and their first album 'The Guetto is Tryna Kill Me' was released in June 2013.


Prompt: I'm 55 years old. Should I get a PSA test?

Response:
This one is genuinely a choice rather than a yes or no. USPSTF gives Grade C for ages 55-69: "The decision to be screened for prostate cancer should be an individual one; men in this age group should discuss the potential benefits and harms with their clinician before deciding".

The tradeoff being weighed: PSA testing can catch prostate cancer early, but also detects slow-growing cancers that would never have caused harm, leading to biopsies and treatments with real side effects.

Source: USPSTF Prostate Cancer: Screening, May 2018.

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: I just turned 78, I have a 30 pack-year smoking history and quit 16 years ago. Am I eligible for the annual lung screening scan?

Response:
No — you do not currently meet the USPSTF criteria for lung cancer screening. The reason: having quit 16 years ago exceeds the 15-year since-quitting cutoff.

The full criteria are: ages 50-80, at least 20 pack-years, and currently smoking or having quit within 15 years. You meet the other requirements. Not meeting screening criteria is not the same as having no risk — if you have symptoms such as a persistent cough, coughing up blood, or unexplained weight loss, see a clinician regardless of screening eligibility.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B).

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: I'm a 80-year-old with no family history of cancer and no symptoms. Should I get a colonoscopy?

Response:
At 80, screening is a Grade C recommendation — meaning it should be offered selectively rather than routinely. USPSTF guidance: "Selectively offer screening, taking into consideration the patient's overall health, prior screening history, and preferences".

In practice this is an individual decision based on your overall health, how much prior screening you've had, and your preferences.

Source: USPSTF Colorectal Cancer: Screening, May 2021.

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: Tell me if these drinks are alcoholic or not: Coca-Cola, Mountain Dew, Budweiser, Rum, Vodka, Tomato Juice, Orange Juice, Sprite, Tequila, Margarita

Response: Budweiser, Rum, Vodka, Tequila and Margarita are alcoholic beverages


Prompt: I'm a 35-year-old. Do I need a Pap smear?

Response:
Yes — at 35 you're in the Grade A screening range. Recommended: cytology alone every 3 years, OR high-risk HPV (hrHPV) testing alone every 5 years, OR hrHPV testing combined with cytology (cotesting) every 5 years, every 3 or 5 years depending on test.

Source: USPSTF Cervical Cancer: Screening, August 2018.

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: I'm 34 years old and my brother was diagnosed with colorectal cancer at 44. When should I start getting screened?

Response:
You should begin colonoscopy screening at age 34.

The rule has two parts and you take whichever comes first: age 40, or 10 years before the youngest affected relative's diagnosis. Here that's 40, or 44 − 10 = 34 — and since 34 is earlier than 40, the 10-years-before rule applies, giving 34.

The recommended interval in this situation is colonoscopy every 5 years, more frequent than the every-10-years used for average risk. Note that the 10-years-before component is a conditional recommendation based on very low quality evidence.

Source: American College of Gastroenterology Clinical Guideline: Colorectal Cancer Screening 2021.

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: My husband just turned 38 with no family history of cancer and no symptoms. Am I due for colorectal cancer screening?

Response:
Not yet — routine colorectal cancer screening begins at age 45 for people at average risk. At 38, you are 7 years away.

Two important caveats. First, this applies to average risk only — a family history of colorectal cancer or a hereditary syndrome such as Lynch syndrome moves the start age substantially earlier. Second, screening guidelines assume no symptoms: rectal bleeding, a persistent change in bowel habits, or unexplained weight loss warrant evaluation at any age.

Source: USPSTF Colorectal Cancer: Screening, May 2021.

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: What is the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction?

Response: The Pulitzer in Fiction is awarded each year to the American author who published the best novel written in the prior year.


Prompt: Quick question: I'm 31. Can I get a scan to check for thyroid cancer before I have symptoms?

Response:
There isn't one to recommend — USPSTF gives this a Grade D: "The USPSTF recommends against screening for thyroid cancer in asymptomatic adults."

This applies to asymptomatic adults. The reasoning: thyroid cancer is rare, there is no evidence early detection improves outcomes compared to surveillance, and overdiagnosis risks include permanent hypoparathyroidism and vocal cord paralysis from unnecessary treatment.

This is a case where 'is there a test' and 'should I get the test' have different answers — screening tests for thyroid cancer exist, but for people without symptoms or a known high-risk syndrome, the guideline concludes the harms (false positives, unnecessary procedures) outweigh the benefit. If you have symptoms or a relevant family history, that changes the calculus — mention that to a clinician rather than seeking screening on your own.

Source: USPSTF Thyroid Cancer: Screening, May 2017 (Grade D).

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: I just turned 33 and I have a mole that's changed in border and color over the past couple of months. Should I get it checked?

Response:
Yes — any mole that is *changing* should be evaluated, and change in border and color is exactly what the 'E' in the ABCDE criteria refers to.

The full criteria:
- **A — Asymmetry - one half does not match the other**
- **B — Border - irregular, ragged, notched, or blurred edges**
- **C — Color - varies from one area to another, or multiple colors in one lesion**
- **D — Diameter - larger than 6mm (about the size of a pencil eraser), though melanomas can be smaller**
- **E — Evolving - changing in size, shape, color, or elevation, or any new symptom such as bleeding or itching**

'Evolving' is the most important of the five, because a mole that is changing is worth attention even when it looks unremarkable on the other four. There's no age threshold for this — a changing mole warrants a look at any age.

Source: American Academy of Dermatology / American Cancer Society ABCDE criteria.

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: I'm asking for my aunt, who is 35. Am I due for cervical screening?

Response:
Yes — at 35 you're in the Grade A screening range. Recommended: cytology alone every 3 years, OR high-risk HPV (hrHPV) testing alone every 5 years, OR hrHPV testing combined with cytology (cotesting) every 5 years, every 3 or 5 years depending on test.

Source: USPSTF Cervical Cancer: Screening, August 2018.

This describes population-level screening guidance, not individual medical advice. A clinician should confirm what applies to you.


Prompt: I'm 78 years old, I have a 40 pack-year smoking history and quit 10 years ago. Should I be getting a lung CT scan?

Response:
Yes — you meet the USPSTF criteria for lung cancer screening. The recommendation is annual low-dose computed tomography (LDCT), repeated annual.

You meet all three requirements: age 78 falls within 50-80, your 40 pack-year history meets the 20 pack-year minimum, and you quit 10 years ago, within the 15-year cutoff.

Source: USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B). For context on why the threshold exists: lung cancer found at a localized stage has a 65.5% 5-year relative survival rate, versus 10.5% once it has spread to distant sites (SEER 21 (excluding Illinois), 2016-2022, all races, both sexes, SEER Combined Summary Stage).

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.


Prompt: I'm 75 years old with no family history of cancer and no symptoms. Should I get a colonoscopy?

Response:
Yes — at 75 you are within the recommended screening range. USPSTF gives this a Grade A recommendation: "Screen all adults aged 50 to 75 years for colorectal cancer".

Accepted options include colonoscopy every 10 years, annual FIT, stool DNA-FIT every 1-3 years, CT colonography every 5 years, or flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years. Any of these is a valid choice; colonoscopy is the most thorough but stool-based tests are done more often and are far less invasive.

Source: USPSTF Colorectal Cancer: Screening, May 2021. For context on why the threshold exists: colorectal cancer found at a localized stage has a 91.3% 5-year relative survival rate, versus 16.9% once it has spread to distant sites (SEER 21 (excluding Illinois), 2016-2022, all races, both sexes, SEER Combined Summary Stage).

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: I just turned 23 and I recently tested positive for a pathogenic BRCA2 variant. What screening do I need and when?

Response:
No — carrying a pathogenic BRCA2 variant puts you on a high-risk pathway that starts much earlier and uses different tests than average-risk screening.

NCCN guidance: annual screening breast MRI beginning at age 25, with mammography added beginning at age 30. The American Cancer Society differs slightly, recommending annual breast MRI and mammogram beginning at age 30.

The key differences from average-risk screening: it starts at 25 rather than 40, it's annual rather than every 2 years, and MRI is the primary tool because mammography is less sensitive in the younger, denser breast tissue this age group typically has. At 23, you would begin MRI surveillance in 2 years.

Sources: NCCN Guidelines, Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Breast, Ovarian, and Pancreatic; American Cancer Society recommendations for the early detection of breast cancer.

This is guideline information for education, not a diagnosis. Discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider.


Prompt: My aunt is 54 with a 30 pack-year smoking history (quit 6 years ago) and a parent diagnosed with colorectal cancer at 48. What cancer screenings should I be getting?

Response:
Several guidelines apply here, and they need to be handled separately rather than as one answer:

**Lung:** Yes — you meet criteria. (USPSTF Lung Cancer: Screening, 2021 (Grade B))

**Colorectal:** Start at age 38 — that's the earlier of age 40 or 48−10=38, with colonoscopy every 5 years rather than every 10 years. At 54 you are past that point and should be in surveillance already. (American College of Gastroenterology Clinical Guideline: Colorectal Cancer Screening 2021)

Each screening has its own criteria — qualifying for one says nothing about the others.

This is general screening-guideline information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice — confirm with a clinician.