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How Much Screening Is Too Much?

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
Chicago Tribune
/
The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.

The public has been told over and over through the years that it's necessary to get regular screenings for breast, prostate, lung and other cancers.  Simple, clear messages work best in public health: Go for screening. 

The trouble is, a growing body of research indicates it's not that simple. Some screening tests find cancers that would not have been lethal, or even harmful. Treatment -- surgery, radiation, chemotherapy -- can inflict their own damage.

So it's not an easy thing for doctors and patients to decide, asThe Orlando Sentinel reports.

Originally founded in December 2006 as an independent grassroots publication dedicated to coverage of health issues in Florida, Health News Florida was acquired by WUSF Public Media in September 2012.