Opinion: Some people should stop being screened for cancer. Convincing them isn’t always easy

During my training to become a primary care physician, the importance of preventive cancer screening was ingrained in me. The idea of catching cancer at an early stage so we can better treat it made intuitive sense. But as I’ve learned over the years, the simplicity of this concept can obscure its limitations and make it difficult to persuade older or sick individuals that screening can do them more harm than good.

Early in my career, I dutifully kept track of what cancer screening tests my patients needed and made sure to remind them about these tests. But after poring over the details of the evidence behind various screening tests, working with thousands of patients, and conducting formal interviews of patients and doctors about screening, I’ve developed a more nuanced approach.

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