It may be difficult for people to understand how there could be any problem with having a screening test. We've been trained that "early detection leads to better chance of cure." Journalists often promote this theme without knowing there's much more to the story.
Articles in this week's BMJ push for more discussion about the negative side effects of screening for breast cancer. One study suggests that breast cancer screening could result in a 10% rate of over-diagnosis.
Researchers say that the information given to women needs to be more balanced to ensure women are adequately informed about the benefits and harms. Research has shown that women generally exaggerate the benefits and are unaware of the harms of screening such as overtreatment.
An excellent resource on this topic is Dr. Gil Welch's book, "Should I Be Tested for Cancer? Maybe Not and Here's Why."
Posted by schwitz at March 3, 2006 07:47 AM | TrackBack