Enthusiasm for Cancer Screening in the United States

Abstract

There is a growing recognition among medical professionals that cancer screening is a double-edged sword. While some individuals may benefit from early detection, others may only be diagnosed and treated for cancer unnecessarily.^1,2 In recent years, the public has been exposed to expert debate about many of the most basic assumptions of screening: some scientists have challenged the utility of mammography for women younger than age 50 years^3-5 or even for women at any age^6,7; questions have been raised about how often to be screened for cervical cancer^8,9; and whether to be screened at all for prostate^8,9 or lung cancer.¹⁰ Emerging from these debates is a growing consensus that to make good decisions about screening, the public needs access to balanced information about its potential benefits and harms.^11,12