Researchers Look at Potential Downsides of Cancer Screenings – R & D Magazine

Read article - Article quotes Lisa Schwartz, professor of The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, medicine, and community and family medicine, about cancer screenings. It is a popular notion that frequent cancer screenings saves lives, but is there a downside to these tests? A team of researchers believe that the impact of cancer screening tests is not as beneficial as previously thought and in some cases can result in an over diagnosis of cancer. “If the chance of dying from a cancer is small to begin with, there isn't that much risk to reduce,” Schwartz said. “So the effect of even a good screening test has to be small in absolute terms.”