title: Register-based studies of cancer screening effects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are two organised cancer screening programmes in Denmark, against cervical and breast cancers. The aim with this study was to give an overview of the available register-based research regarding these two programmes, to demonstrate the usefulness of data from the national registers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The register-based studies on cancer screening in Denmark could be grouped into research concerning effectiveness, in terms of mortality and incidence reduction, short-term indicators, e.g. in relation to recommended quality assurance indicators, and side effects, e.g. as false-positive results and overdiagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that registers have proven to be a valuable tool in evaluating the effects of ongoing screening activities. As they cannot be systematically used to test new screening technologies, register-based studies should not be seen as an alternative to randomised controlled trials, but as a supplement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. m.euler@pubhealth.ku.dk
authors.forename: My
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Von Euler-Chelpin
authors.forename: Elsebeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lynge
authors.forename: Matejka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rebolj
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012042:Registries / Q000592:standards; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014626:Vaginal Smears