For ‘catch it early’ you are talking screening. That’s why there’s cervical cancer screening (pap smear/the new cytology test), mammograms, faecal occult blood tests, in australia skin cancer screening, etc.
And that’s why people should have a regular doctor and that’s why as you get older you see your doctor more frequently. But for young(ish) otherwise healthy people, the whole concept of something ther occurs annually doesnt make sense.
In the other hand, since most screening and medical engagement is with females, you are left with lots of men who get into their 40s without ever having seen a doctor.
So - if thats you - go and see one, build a relationship, and if everything is good ask when you need to come back for prostate screening, FOBT, cholesterol or anything else. All across the board is unnecessary.
With regards to your last point, I’m all for devolving autonomy and power to the patient, but frankly across the board wide ranging blood testing (especially regularly) just doesn’t make sense for a significant percentage of people, unless there is a high pre test probability or a significant family history. All blood results are managed at the 95% CI so if you go in and have 20+ blood tests then more than likely at least one is going to be out of order. All you need to do is visit the askdocs subreddit to see the immense anxiety and flow down effects that has on a population who have absolutely no way of understanding a slightly out of bounds result. Those private clinics trying to spin up and do ‘wellness checks’ are frankly in my opinion, and until the evidence proves otherwise, a parasite on the worried well