Screening Screening techniques will become more advanced - this morning I saw a report about a new breast screening procedure which has been developed by Bristol University. It uses a new type of radar system. It\'s been developed from techonology used in land mine detection. Because it doesn\'t require x-rays, it will mean women can be checked more frequently without the fear of over exposure to radiation. It\'s not been approved for use yet.
There was an announcement on the BCC website that says that breast screening is saving 1400 lives per year and reducing mastectomies through earlier detection, but it also says that some doctors are critical as some \"tumours\" are sometimes found to be benign and therefore many people are subjected to unnecessary worry and possibly surgery. What I\'d like to know is how many women have to go through false positives and unnecessary surgery and trauma for 1400 lives per year to be saved.
There\'s an argument that says if you go looking for something, you are quite likely to find it so then you have the dilemma about whether you should leave it alone or treat it.
I think research into more advanced screening techniques has to go hand in hand with research into much better prediction of which conditions can be safely left and which have to be treated otherwise the number of people undergoing unnecessary surgery is going to increase, simply because screening is more sophisticated, but diagnostic and prognostic processes lag behind.
On the whole, I\'m in favour of breast screening, but I think it\'s a good, necessary thing that there are some vociferous critics so we have a proper view of the advantages and disadvantages of screening and can make our own choices.
