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Articles on Overdiagnosis

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Many patients with less aggressive prostate cancer elect active surveillance instead of treatment. triloks/E+ via Getty Images

Prostate cancer treatment is not always the best option – a cancer researcher walks her father through his diagnosis

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. Although watchful waiting is appropriate for low-risk cases, many are diagnosed at an advanced stage because of racial health disparities.
Men are 17% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than they were 30 years ago. fizkes/Shutterstock

29,000 cancers overdiagnosed in Australia in a single year

New research estimates 24% of cancers in men that were detected in 2012 were overdiagnosed, meaning they never would have caused harm if left untreated.
Doctors’ prescribing habits are influenced by drug reps and other industry marketing. Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

Time to end drug company distortion of medical evidence

Too often, pharmaceutical companies and device manufacturers exert influence in how their products are tested in the research phase and recommended in the clinic.
It can be more convenient getting a script from a pharmacist rather than visiting your GP. Jacob Lund/Shutterstock

The evidence shows pharmacist prescribing is nothing to fear

Prominent GP and former MP Kerryn Phelps has weighed into the doctor-pharmacist turf war, saying pharmacists shouldn’t prescribe because of their financial interests. But the evidence says otherwise.
3D mammograms may be useful in investigating abnormalities, but as a means of routine screening, they may do more harm than good. From shutterstock.com

For routine breast screening, you may not need a 3D mammogram

3D mammography is becoming more widely available, but is it superior to the traditional 2D technology for breast cancer detection? The answer isn’t clear-cut.
Gestational diabetes is diagnosed when women have elevated levels of sugar in their blood during pregnancy. But there’s no international threshold. freestocks.org

Are you at risk of being diagnosed with gestational diabetes? It depends on where you live

Sarah and Donna are 26 weeks pregnant and have the same blood sugar levels. But while Donna is diagnosed with gestational diabetes, Sarah is spared from the label. It comes down to where she lives.

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