An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that something is dangerous. This is fear. This is cancer. The motivation to screen for cancer, therefore, is easy to understand. The problem: cancer screening has not worked. Recent reviews of the evidence show that current-day screening techniques do not save lives. Worse, in many cases, these good-intentioned searches bring harm to previously healthy people.
I realize this sounds shocking. It did to me, too. Millions of women and men have had their breasts squished, veins poked, lungs irradiated, and bowels invaded in the name of "health" maintenance. I've been scolded for forgoing PSA tests and colonoscopy - "you should know better, John." I know what you may be thinking. We have all heard the anecdotes - cases that are often celebrated in local news reports and hospital marketing material. People saved by early detection, and the opposite:…
