First do no harm.

摘要

On Sept 18, 2009, the journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI) published two studies showing the downsides of cancer screening. The two reports-one in breast cancer and the other in prostate cancer-came to similar conclusions: increased screening is associated with the risk of unnecessary treatment and the potential for emotional anguish. A survey published earlier in the month, also in JNCI, showed a vast proportion of the population of nine European countries overestimated the benefits of screening. Indeed, 92% of women overestimated the mortality reduction from mammography screening by at least one order of magnitude or reported that they did not know; and 89% of men had similar views of the benefits of prostate-specific antigen screening. Frequent consultation of physicians and health pamphlets also tended to increase rather than reduce this overestimation. So are the benefits of screening being oversold?