The types of diseases an individual might develop—and the likelihood of developing specific conditions—vary from person to person.

The comprehensive health check-up schedules and key screening items by age group outlined below are based on diseases that commonly affect Koreans.

20s ~ 30s

You should undergo regular check-ups—either annually or every two years—to prepare for potential illnesses. This is the time to detect and treat chronic diseases at an early stage.

(Required Tests): Hepatitis B antigen and antibody, cholesterol, stool analysis, chest X-ray, liver function test, and cervical cytology (Pap smear). Tests for total cholesterol, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease are conducted every 5 years; stool analysis (for colon disease and parasites) every 2 years; cervical cancer screening annually for sexually active women; and chest X-rays (for tuberculosis) every 2 years.

40s ~ 64s

It is advisable to undergo a comprehensive health checkup every one to two years; during this period, particular attention should be paid to screening for major causes of death, such as heart disease, various cancers, stroke, chronic lung disease, and liver disease.

(Required Tests): Hepatitis B antigen and antibody tests, cholesterol test, stool test, Pap smear, gastroscopy and upper GI series, chest X-ray, mammography, and liver function test.

65s over

At this stage, a urinalysis is necessary to check for conditions such as kidney or urethral disorders and prostate disease. Please undergo this examination annually.

(Required Tests): Cholesterol, stool test, liver function test, cervical cytology (Pap smear), chest X-ray, urinalysis, upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy and fluoroscopy, and mammography.

♣ Additionally, if you smoke or have high blood pressure or diabetes, please undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG). We recommend a liver ultrasound for carriers of hepatitis B or C.

Postmenopausal women who smoke or drink heavily and lack physical activity should undergo a bone density test.

Tumor marker tests are included in most of the health screening packages offered by this center. (※ Availability may vary depending on the specific package.)

These tests do not indicate the presence or absence of all types of cancer; rather, they aid in the diagnosis of the following five conditions:

– AFP: A key fetal protein produced in the liver and gastrointestinal tract; it aids in the diagnosis of primary liver cancer.

– CEA: Aids in the diagnosis of colorectal, pancreatic, and gastric cancers.

– CA19-9: Serves as a marker for pancreatic cancer, gallbladder and bile duct cancers, and other tumors.

– PSA: An indicator for prostate cancer; used for post-treatment evaluation and detecting recurrence.

– CA125: A marker associated with ovarian and endometrial cancers.

A health check-up is an opportunity to detect—at an early stage—risk factors or physical changes that could lead to chronic diseases, even in the absence of overt illness. It allows individuals to address these issues and learn or practice lifestyle habits that maintain good health.

The primary objective is to prevent and treat lifestyle-related diseases (such as early-stage diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia) and various cancers by detecting them early, often before the individual experiences any symptoms.

This endoscopic procedure is performed under "conscious sedation"—a state of light sleep—to eliminate discomfort or pain, ensuring a comfortable experience for the patient.

Because you remain conscious, you can respond to questions and follow instructions regarding body movement during the procedure; this method is safe and entirely different from the anesthesia used in surgery.

While approximately 10% of patients may recall the procedure afterward, even they find the experience far more comfortable than a standard endoscopy.

Precautions After Sedated Endoscopy

A recovery period of approximately 30 minutes to one hour is required following a sedated endoscopy, and you must not drive for the rest of the day. You should also avoid tasks requiring close attention, such as attending meetings.

Special caution is required for patients with the following conditions.

If you have any of the conditions listed below, please be sure to inform us in advance on the day of the examination:

– Liver cirrhosis

– Chronic diseases accompanied by impaired liver function

– Chronic lung disease

– Angina or myocardial infarction

– Other chronic diseases

Generally, the purpose of a comprehensive health checkup is to detect and treat life-threatening diseases at an early stage, even in the absence of noticeable symptoms.

It also aims to identify and address risk factors—conditions that may not currently constitute a disease but could lead to one in the future.

Everyone has likely experienced visiting a clinic or hospital to see a doctor, receive a diagnosis, and get a prescription when feeling unwell or noticing something wrong with their body.

Health insurance covers medical expenses in such cases, meaning patients are only required to pay a certain percentage of the cost themselves.

In contrast, a health checkup does not focus on a specific disease, symptom, or organ; rather, it involves assessing the body's overall functioning to provide a comprehensive evaluation of one's health status.

Health check-ups are undertaken to monitor one's health in the absence of symptoms, or to prevent disease and improve overall well-being.

Consequently, standard health insurance plans do not cover the cost of these check-ups. Instead, health insurance associations provide their members with screening services for lifestyle-related diseases and cancer.

While the scope of these screenings is limited due to cost considerations, they consist of essential tests that are highly recommended on an annual basis.

Those with the financial means may opt for comprehensive, high-cost medical examinations; however, for those with limited resources, undergoing the screenings provided by health insurance associations is sufficient to enable the early diagnosis of certain diseases.

An increasing number of people are undergoing annual health checkups. Your medical records hold significant importance.

To effectively monitor changes in your health—such as whether past abnormal findings have normalized or worsened—it is advisable to select a single medical institution and consistently undergo your checkups there, allowing your records to accumulate over the years.

Here are the criteria for selecting a good health screening facility:

(1) It is best to avoid facilities that indiscriminately recommend only high-priced screening tests.

Ideally, the core of the screening should focus on tests for diseases where early diagnosis yields significant benefits, with additional tests included based on your specific risk factors.

(2) It is advisable to have a preliminary consultation with a doctor before the actual screening begins. While a standard questionnaire can sometimes substitute for this, a generic form is often insufficient to fully assess an individual's diverse health status. A preliminary consultation allows you to select the tests best suited to your needs, leading to a more cost-effective and efficient screening process. Some facilities treat the questionnaire as a mere formality and fail to address lifestyle issues identified in the form when interpreting the final results.

(3) The accuracy of clinical pathology tests—such as blood, urine, and liver function tests—varies little between different screening facilities. Therefore, provided the test items are the same, it is recommended that you choose a location that is convenient for you.

(4) When interpreting health screening results, simply listing abnormal findings from blood, urine, or radiological tests is meaningless. This is because findings that appear abnormal in a test can often actually be within the normal range depending on the context. It is highly advisable to receive an explanation of your results directly from a doctor, as some health screening programs may omit this step.

(5) Ideally, you should choose a facility that offers dietary assessments and nutritional prescriptions from a nutritionist, as this allows for a comprehensive evaluation of your eating habits.

(6) It is recommended to find a facility where you can have your exercise habits and physical capabilities assessed and receive a tailored exercise prescription. Since the diseases targeted for early detection and prevention are primarily lifestyle-related conditions common in adults, the importance of exercise cannot be overstated.

(7) Naturally, given otherwise equal conditions, a facility with convenient amenities is preferable. You should be able to select a health screening program suited to your specific needs based on factors such as gender, age, current health status, and family history. For instance, breast cancer rarely occurs in women in their twenties; therefore, a mammogram is generally unnecessary for this age group. However, if there is a history of breast cancer on the maternal side of the family, a mammogram may be required even in one's late twenties. Health screening programs that apply a standardized testing regimen regardless of an individual's specific condition are inefficient.