From How to decide: Is screening right for you?
In the pipeline: Advances in cancer screening
Ask Shannon Brownlee your questions about cancer screening tests
Studies show that doctors tend to be too quick to use several other types of tests and treatments:
- Imaging tests. Not every bump on the head requires a CT scan, which packs a lot of radiation. For the same reason, people without symptoms of heart disease should be cautious about cardiac CT exams. Many MRIs for lower-back pain are also unnecessary, studies show.
- Back surgery. Spinal fusion, which involves welding together vertebrae with bone grafts or metal devices, appears to offer no more relief than less risky (and less expensive) rigorous rehab programs for worn disks. Most back pain goes away on its own.
- Cardiac procedures. Solid evidence shows that, if you have heart disease, unless you're in the midst of a heart attack or in its immediate aftermath, getting an angioplasty or a stent adds no survival edge beyond that provided by drugs and lifestyle changes.
Additional Reporting by Heather Harris