Population Screening for Cancer Flashcards
1
Q
What is the definition of screening?
A
The examination of a group of usually asymptomatic individuals to detect those with a high probability of having or developing a given disease, typically by means of an inexpensive diagnostic test.
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2
Q
What are the Wilson and Jungner criteria for an effective screening programme?
A
-
Disease
- Should be an important public health problem.
- The natural history of the disease should be understood.
- There should be a latent or early symptomatic stage.
-
Test
- There should be a suitable test for the population.
- The test should be acceptable to the population.
-
Treatment
- There should be an accepted treatment for patients with recognised disease.
- Facilities for diagnosis and treatment should be available.
-
Process
- The cost of case finding should be economically balanced in relation to the cost of medical care as a whole.
- Case-finding should be a continuous process and not a once for all’.
3
Q
What is the role of population screening?
A
Prevention of premature morbidity and mortality.
4
Q
What are the 3 UK cancer screening programmes?
A
- Cervical cancer
- Breast cancer
- Colorectal cancer
5
Q
What are some of the problems with population screening for cancer?
A
- Screening is an ecological fallacy - by definition, personalised medicine is designed for the individual. Screening is designed for the population.
- Screening does not suit everyone. And, usually the people who it does not suit are those who are less likely to be able to come forward and access care.
- It can be harmful because:
- It is a system without negative feedback.
- It can cause anxiety.
- Ethics?
- Informed consent?
- Error in measurement
- Inequelities (picture attached)
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