A study published last week revealed that (with the exception of colorectal cancer) the US population did not meet cancer screening goals set by the Healthy People 2010 initiative.
174,393 adults participated in the study. All participants were at least 18 years old, and completed the National Health Interview Survey from 1997-2010.
The general population fell below cancer screening rate goals, except for colorectal cancer (which ranked at 4.6% above the goal).
“There is a great need for increased cancer prevention efforts in the U.S., especially for screening as it is considered one of the most important preventive behaviors and helps decrease the burden of this disease on society in terms of quality of life, the number of lives lost and insurance costs,” says lead author of the study Tainya C. Clarke, MPH.
Dr. Silverman Comments
It’s confusing to read about downward “troubling” trends in cancer screening right as the USPSTF (United States Preventative Services Task Force) is working to decrease screening.
On one hand we know that screening identifies early cancers and saves lives. I have personal knowledge of patients, friends, and family who have been saved from cancer by early detection.
On the other hand, screening also catches cancers that might never progress, and treatment of cancer is not benign itself. Cancer treatment can kill.
As far as the future, I wonder how doctors hope to discover which cancers need treatment if we can’t identify the early ones or understand the evolution of cancer from non metastatic to metastatic or the best means to prevent this progression.
In my opinion, this “ostrich head in the sand” approach is bad medicine and bad policy.
Source:
Medscape.com
