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Mammography and Beyond Developing Technologies for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer: A Non-Technical Summary (2001) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:

Theory and Principles of Cancer Detection
Pages 6-8

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 6...
... Screening tests done on a regular basis are also more likely to detect a disproportionate number of people with slow-growing tumors, a phenomenon known as "length bias." This is because a cancer that takes many years to reach a size that can be felt on a breast exam is more likely be detected as a smaller tumor by regular mammography screening than one that grows to the same size in a much shorter period of time. If an aggressive, fast-growing tumor is more likely to become life-threatening than a slow-growing tumor, then many women whose tumors were identified through a screening program will inherently have 6
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From page 7...
... That is, the tumors may have responded well to treatment even if they weren't detected until they grew large enough to be felt on a breast exam. Additional difficulties encountered in assessing breast cancer screening programs include selection bias and overdiagnosis.
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From page 8...
... Once a breast abnormality has been detected by screening mammography or physical exam, the abnormality must be diagnosed as benign or malignant using additional imaging techniques and/or biopsy and microscopic examination of the tissue. Many new breast cancer detection technologies are being studied as diagnostic tools, often as an addition to diagnostic mammography, in the hopes of avoiding unnecessary biopsy of benign abnormalities.
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Key Terms

  • cancer screening
  • screening tests
  • mammography screening
  • breast abnormality
  • screening test

  • lung cancer
  • screening studies
  • selection bias
  • real benefit
  • examine differences

  • breast exam
  • test reduces
  • time involved
  • extensive costs
  • tumors identified

  • imaging techniques
  • screening program
  • regular basis
  • difficulties encountered
  • screening programs

  • shorter period
  • using additional
  • bias assumes
  • particular screening
  • programs include

  • unnecessary biopsy
  • randomly selected
  • time observed
  • screening mammography
  • cancer detection


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