From The Lown Institute: “Is overdiagnosis inherently bad? Overdiagnosis not only leads to overtreatment but creates stress for patients who have to deal with this alarming diagnosis. However, avoiding overdiagnosis with less screening means by definition that we will find fewer cancers – some of which may have been beneficial to find. This is why being able to define and measure overdiagnosis is so important – because it gives doctors and patients context to make an informed decision about screening.”
