You’ve come to know Consumer Reports for its detailed analysis on everyday products from mattresses to baby products, appliances to used cars, and everything in between.
Now for the first time, the consumer’s guidebook has moved into a new niche by rating cancer screening tests.
It turns out most of these tests are being oversold to the public and may confuse, rather than clarify, the magazine reported in its latest March 2013 edition.
Consumer Reports said on its website that early detection saves lives when it comes to cancer and it's not trying to dissuade the public from all tests.
However, the report said that not all cancer screenings are helpful. In fact, some can even be harmful, that is, the risks are not outweighed by the benefits, the report’s authors said.
“When it comes to screening, most people see only the positives,” Otis Brawley, M.D., chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, said in the report.
“They don’t just underestimate the negatives, they don’t even know they exist.”
In all, 11 cancer tests were rated for people not at high risk and without signs or symptoms of cancer, based mainly on evidence-based reviews from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent group supported by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Screening tests for cervical, colon, and breast cancers are the most effective tests available, according to the publication.
But most people shouldn't waste their time on screenings for bladder, lung, oral, ovarian, prostate, pancreatic, skin, and testicular cancers.
"We know from our surveys that consumers approach screenings with an 'I have nothing to lose' attitude, which couldn't be further from the truth," said John Santa , M.D., M.P.H., director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center, in a press release.
“Unfortunately some health organizations have promulgated this belief, inflating the benefits of cancer screenings while minimizing the harm they can do."
Santa said that the publication delved into this new area to help clarify when most consumers should use cancer screenings and when they should skip them.
Then it rated each screening for its usefulness for a specific age group and tried to identify some high risk factors that may make screening a reasonable choice.
Not exactly an easy task. According to Santa, research suggests that even doctors don't always agree on which screenings are necessary.
In fact, when Consumer Reports sought information on the percentages of patients who are screened for colon cancer, it found striking variations in the states of Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
In the state of Massachusetts, for example, where there are 150 medical groups, the lowest group rate for colon-cancer screening was 47 percent while the highest was just about double that figure (95 percent).
Get these tests
Consumer Reports recommends three screenings:
• The screening for cervical cancer gets Consumer Reports' highest score, and is recommended for women age 21-65. Women under 21 should skip the screening (a Pap smear) because the cancer is uncommon before then and the tests are not accurate for this age group.
• The screenings for colon cancer get Consumer Reports' top score for people ages 50-75. However, screening is less valuable for people 76-85.
Colon cancer screening receives a low score for people 86 and older and the lowest possible score for people 49 and younger. Younger people should consider testing only if they are at high risk because the cancer is uncommon before age 50.
• The screening for breast cancer gets Consumer Reports' second highest score for women 50-74. But women in their 40s or those 75 and older should talk with their doctor to see whether the benefits outweigh the harm based on their risk factors.
Avoid these screenings
Consumer Reports highlights eight cancer screenings low risk people should avoid, including three screenings which received the magazine’s lowest rating.
• The screening for ovarian cancer gets Consumer Reports' lowest rating for women of all ages, because the screening tests are not very effective. Women don't need to be tested unless they are at high risk.
There are two tests: a transvaginal ultrasound or the CA-125 blood test, which measures a protein possibly associated with ovarian cancer.
• The screening for pancreatic cancer gets Consumer Reports' lowest rating for adults of all ages. People don't need the test (genetic tests or imaging tests of the abdomen) unless they are at high risk, because no test is likely to detect the disease at a curable stage.
• The screening for testicular cancer gets Consumer Reports' lowest rating for men of all ages. Most men don't need the screening (a physical exam) unless they are at high risk, because most cancers found without screening are curable.
The article points out that some people at high risk may need these tests and should fully consult with their doctor regarding risk and benefits.
Since some of these tests are not as straightforward as you might think, the article suggests asking your doctor:
• If the test results are positive, will it save my life?
• Am I at higher risk for cancer than the average person, and if so, why?
• How often does it provide falsely reassuring results?
• Are any other tests just as good?
• And, if the results are positive, what's next?
Lynette Summerill is an award-winning writer and Scuba enthusiast who lives in San Diego with her husband and two beach loving dogs. Besides writing about cancer-related issues for EmpowHER, her work has been seen in newspapers and magazines around the world.
Sources:
Consumer Reports’ Ratings of Eleven Cancer Screenings Include Eight Most Should Avoid. PRNewswire, 30 Jan. 2013. Access at:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/consumer-reports-ratings-of-eleven-cancer-screenings-include-eight-most-should-avoid-188979711.html
Cancer tests you Need—and those you don’t. Consumer Reports Magazine. March 2013. Online at:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cancer0313.htm and http://news.consumerreports.org/health/2013/01/do-you-really-need-that-mammogram.html
Reviewed February 5, 2013
by MIchele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith