[Screening for cancer. International knowledge and Danish practice].
Screening makes it possible to detect cancer before the disease gives rise to symptoms. A more effective treatment could thus be offered, and patients would then have a better prognosis. If screening works, mortality from a given cancer disease should decline in the screened population. At present three screening tests meet this requirement: 1) Pap smears for cervical dysplasia, with screening started at the latest at the age of 30 and not before the age of 20; 2) Mammography screening for breast cancer in women aged 50-69; and 3) faecal occult blood testing for colorectal cancer in men and women aged 50-74. But screening means the testing of healthy persons for cancer, and it therefore has a number of negative side effects, such as false positive and false negative tests. Whether or not screening is preferable in a given situation therefore depends on how the advantages are weighted against the disadvantages.
Lynge
Elsebeth
E
Institut for Folkesundhedsvidenskab, Københavns Universitet, DK-2200 København N. elsebeth@pubhealth.ku.dk
D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008327:Mammography; D008400:Mass Chest X-Ray; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D009780:Occult Blood; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D014626:Vaginal Smears