Study finds some cancers are ‘better left undiscovered’

Australians are increasingly being diagnosed with cancers that will do them no harm if left undetected or untreated.

Australians are increasingly being diagnosed with cancers that will do them no harm if left undetected or untreated, exposing them to unnecessary surgeries and chemotherapy, according to a new study published this week.

The research, led by Professor Paul Glasziou from Bond University, drew on data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare to compare how the lifetime risk of five cancers had changed between 1982 and 2012.

The study shows that compared to 30 years ago, Australians are much more likely to experience a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime.

The figures suggest that in 2012, 24 per cent of cancers or carcinomas in men were overdiagnosed. These included 42 per cent of prostate cancers, 42 per cent of renal cancers, 73 per cent of thyroid cancers and 58 per cent of melanomas.

For women, 18 per cent of cancers or carcinomas were overdiagnosed, including 22 per cent of breast cancers, 58 per cent of renal cancers, 73 per cent of thyroid cancers and 58 per cent of melanomas.

The figures are significant because of the harm that can occur from cancer treatment of patients who would never have had symptoms in their lifetime.

“Cancer treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy, endocrine and chemotherapy carry risks of physical harms,” the authors of the study reported.

“In the absence of overdiagnosis, these harms are generally considered acceptable.

“In the context of overdiagnosed cancers, however, affected individuals cannot benefit but can only be harmed by these treatments.”

The authors also refer to separate studies showing overdiagnosis could be linked to psychological problems.

“For example, men’s risk of suicide appears to increase in the year after receiving a prostate cancer diagnosis.”

The new study calls for urgent policy changes to tackle overdiagnosis.

Prof. Glasziou said increasing rates of diagnosis were a result of improvements and wider use of testing and screening.

“The problem is that some screening identifies abnormal cells that look like cancer but don’t behave like cancer. However, reducing that problem is not easy, as some types of screening are important.”

Prof. Glasziou said the way to reduce melanoma deaths may not be ever more advanced screening “but applying daily sunscreen” and research on better treatments.

“While much of the overdiagnosis is due to screening, many overdiagnosed cancer cases are incidental findings, that is, the patient is being tested for something else when the cancer is detected,” Prof. Glasziou said.

“Getting the balance right between too little and too much screening and testing will not be easy, but this is an important step.

“It is the first time that the risk of overdiagnosis has been quantified across five cancers, anywhere in the world.”

Associate Professor Katy Bell said that the findings also suggest an important role for health services such as the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, in detecting potential overdiagnosis and alerting health policy decision makers to the problem early on.

“Patterns of increased test use, cancer incidence, or treatment rates, without corresponding rises in mortality could indicate emerging areas of overdiagnosis,” she said.

“People still need to remain vigilant when it comes to early detection of cancers, however they need to be informed and engage in shared decision making with their medical professionals about the harms of cancer screening and other associated procedures.”

What do you think about the findings of this study?