Cancer Screening

There’s a better way to screen for cervical cancer

Eduardo Franco HPV cervical cancer

When it comes to cervical cancer, the attention is centred on the vaccine for Human Papillomaviruses (HPV). It’s an incredible development, and I am hopeful that one day the HPV vaccine could render cervical cancer a killer of the past. But there’s another innovation – called the HPV test – that could be harnessed immediately

Are patients being informed about prostate cancer screening risks?

Get screened. It could save your life. Don’t get screened. There’s no evidence that screening saves lives. Get tested in your 40s. Wait until you’re 55. Get the test every year. Every four years is enough. When it comes to screening for prostate cancer, the messages from doctors, major medical organizations and media campaigns are

Are breast cancer screening programs justified?

Millions of Canadians happily sign up for breast cancer screening every year. After all, we’re told that it “saves lives” for women aged 50 to 74. Yet, there is no evidence that it does. Most – but not all – studies conclude screening mammography reduces a woman’s chance of dying of breast cancer. But in randomized controlled trials on breast