Allegheny Health Network is expanding no-cost monthly cancer screenings to several locations throughout Western Pennsylvania, the nonprofit has announced.

These events, which will be open to the public, will include potentially life-saving tests such as mammograms. The initiative seeks to make up for a lag in disease surveillance that resulted from lockdowns and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“At AHN Cancer Institute, we are thrilled to expand our free monthly screening program to the New Castle and Grove City areas,” said AHN Cancer Institute M.D. David Bartlett “Screening helps us detect cancers at its earliest stages, when it is most treatable, and we hope by expanding this program to new areas, more people will take advantage of this unique opportunity to be screened for a variety of cancers.”

People wishing to register can do so on Dec. 10 at Grove City Hospital at 631 N. Broad St. or Mayzon Health Center’s Cancer Institute at 3124 Wilmington Road, Suite 203, New Castle.

People can also register by calling 412-359-6665. Grove City registration closes on Nov. 4; New Castle on Dec. 10.

AHN will offer screenings for breast, cervical, colorectal, head, neck, lung, prostate and skin cancers. The New Castle event alone will offer mammograms for breast cancer, and people can receive low-dose lung cancer screenings at AHN’s Wexford Health + Wellness Pavilion and 12311 Perry Highway, Wexford.

People don’t need to be AHN patients to receive these services, and insurance is not required.

The American Cancer Society recommends people also limit alcohol consumption, avoid smoking, exercise, maintain a healthy weight and adopt a healthy diet to reduce risk of developing cancer.

AHN will ask COVID-19 screening questions on the day prior to the event and at both clinics.