A study, under the leadership of the National Institutes of Health researchers and published December 5, 2024, in JAMA Oncology brought surprising results. Researchers found that a substantial number of deaths from cervical, colorectal, prostate, lung, and breast cancer have been averted through screening, prevention and advanced treatments.
As reported recently in the Medical Xpress, these cancers were selected for this research as treatment is available for early detection or prevention, yet they remain a common cause of deaths from cancer. Dr. Katrina Goddard, Director of NCI’s Cancer Control Division, explained that eight of every ten deaths in the past four or five decades from these cancers were averted due to new procedures in screening and prevention.
Dr. Goddard reiterated that most people credit treatment advances as the reason for the mortality reductions. However, the research proved that the credit belongs to screening and prevention.
Smoking Cessation and Lung Cancer Smoking cessation alone was responsible for 3.45 million lung cancer deaths. Four of the five referenced cancers saw the majority of deaths averted as compared to the fifth cancer, breast cancer, whereby most deaths were averted through treatment advances.
Dr. Kimryn Rathmell, the Director of NCI, emphasized that in order to reduce deaths from cancer, it is critical that effective strategies must be combined with treatment advances.
Dr. Rathmell explained that the study will bring about an understanding of the strategies that have had the most effect in the reduction of cancer deaths. This will help to build momentum and further its progress across the nation.
Cancer mortality rates and statistical models provided an estimate of the number of deaths that had been averted due to screening and prevention of the five cancers during 1975 through 2020.
The researchers found 4.75 million deaths (80%) were averted due to screening and prevention.
Taken on an individual basis with credit given to treatment and screening.
- Breast Cancer – 1 million deaths were averted
- Lung Cancer – 98% of 3.45 million deaths were averted through tobacco control efforts with treatment advances accounting for the balance
- Cervical Cancer – 160,000 cancer deaths were averted through screening and the removal of precancerous lesions
- Colorectal Cancer – 940,000 cancer deaths were averted; 79% was due to screening and removing precancerous polyps, treatment advances accounted for the balance
- Prostate Cancer – 360,000 cancer deaths were averted; screening accounting for 56% with 44% attributed to treatment advances
Dr. Rathmell suggested that effective strategies must continue in all areas covered in the study, not only in treatment advances.
It was noted that screening for lung cancer and HPV vaccinations was not in use during the time of the study.
Admittedly, the above-referenced cancers represent less than fifty percent of all deaths from cancer. In addition, the research findings may not apply to cancers that do not have treatment or screening strategies.
Dr. Philip Castle, the Co-lead study investigator, expresses the need for optimizing the use of screening and prevention for the five cancers. The doctor stressed that they must continue to develop these strategies and consider potential harm such as overdiagnosis during the screenings or quality of life.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-12-screening-outpace-treatment-advances-averting.html
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Last modified: January 29, 2025
