Medical professional groups and cancer advocacy groups need to refocus on educating rather than persuading about cancer testing. The harms of screening have been largely dismissed. It is easy to sell screening, just magnify the benefit, minimize the cost, and hide the data about their value.
These tests are big business and there are conflicts of interest that pressure manufacturers, doctors, big pharma, cancer advocacy groups to support doing many cancer screening tests over ambituously. The PSA test and mammogram on women under the age of 50 is no longer indicated as a routine in people without symptoms. Colonoscopies are also coming into question as the risks likely outweigh the benefits in asymptomatic people starting at age 50. GI bleeds requiring hospitalizations and perforations of the colon occur as often as important findings are discovered. For more details on each of these topics put the test in the search box and many videos and audios will come up that will help you understand more about the tests.
