Screening in the aged.

In BMJ online this week we learn that among those over 70 years of age for every 1,000 women screened for breast cancer, almost 11 years would pass before one breast cancer death would be prevented. More than 10 years would pass before a single death from colorectal cancer would be prevented for every 1,000 persons screened, wrote Sei Lee, MD, of the University of California San Francisco, and colleagues. Patients with a life expectancy of less than 10 years derive little benefit from screening for breast or colorectal cancer.  Comment:  this is one more study that demonstrates that no screening should be routine and apply to everybody but instead should focus on high-risk groups whether the high risk is the result of behavior, genetics, or environment.

Source: Dr. Buttery's Public Health BLOG - January 10, 2013 Category: Epidemiologists Authors: cbuttery Tags: Chronic Disease epidemiology policy Prevention Surveillance Technology Source Type: blogs