Warning of limitations and harm of screening for diseases

Published on Monday 2 November 2009 19:56

SCIENTISTS are warning people to be aware of the downsides, as well as the benefits, of screening for diseases such as breast cancer.

Charity Sense About Science said there had been much publicity about cancer-screening programmes as a result of Kylie Minogue's treatment for breast cancer and Jade Goody's death from cervical cancer.

But they said that, amid the debate, the limitations and possible harms from screening had been lost, leading people to have unrealistic expectations of what screening could offer, the campaigners said.

They have now produced a guide, Making Sense of Screening, to set out the benefits and harms of screening.

Research has shown screening for some diseases can lead to overdiagnosis and treatment which is not necessary.

With breast and prostate cancer, testing may pick up tumours which will never cause problems during the patient's lifetime, but once detected will be treated.

The new report points out that screening can identify some people who have a disease, but it cannot prevent it. The experts also point out that screening cannot give patients a "yes" or "no" answer, and those given the all-clear may still go on to develop the disease.

Sle Lane, of Sense About Science, said: "(SAS] this year experienced a huge rise in public concerns about screening. Many people are worrying they are being denied important healthcare. When we reviewed internet forums and health stories, we found there was hardly any reference to the calculations of benefits and harms."

Hedley Glencross, of the Institute of Biomedical Science, said: "Screening is often a poorly understood healthcare initiative whose benefits and limitations need to be explained."

The guide is available at www.senseaboutscience.org