Cancer screening has limited benefit

One upshot of the decades-long fight against cancer is the popular belief that healthy people should regularly examine their bodies or undergo screening because early detection saves lives. A breast cancer story in the New York Times questions the effectiveness of cancer screening.

Except for a few types of cancer, routine screening has not been proven to reduce the death toll from cancer for people without specific symptoms or risk factors — like a breast lump or a family history of cancer — and could even lead to harm, many health experts say.

Abnormal, uncontrolled cell division resulting in a malignant tumour that may invade surrounding tissues or spread to distant parts of the body. Full medical glossary
A way to identify people who may have a certain condition, among a group of people who may or may not seem to Full medical glossary