A recent study reveals that cancer screenings have given Americans an extra 12 million years of life over the past 25 years. These tests, which look for early signs of breast, colon, cervical, and lung cancer, also provided a massive financial boost.
The study estimates that these screenings contributed at least $6.5 trillion to the economy.
The study is urging more people to get these important tests done. According to the research, if everyone who could get screened did so, we could save another 3.3 million years of life and add another $1.7 trillion to the economy.
The study found that 417 million Americans were eligible for these four types of cancer screenings from 1996 to 2020.
The group behind the study, called the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), is a team of experts that gives advice on preventive health care.
They grade various types of screenings and services, and anything with an “A” or “B” grade is usually covered by insurance at no extra cost to the patient, thanks to the Affordable Care Act.
Professor A. Mark Fendrick, who led the study, stated that many Americans are not getting screened even when it’s free with health insurance. This means we are missing out on even more life-saving opportunities.
In their research, cervical cancer screenings stood out. They accounted for more than half of the life-years saved and economic benefits.
This is because screenings for cervical cancer start early and continue for many years. Women between 18 and 65 who have a cervix are advised to get regularly screened, either through a Pap test or an HPV test.
However, the HPV vaccine, available since 2006, could change the future need for cervical cancer screenings. The USPSTF is currently looking into this.
The researchers also studied prostate cancer screenings. Although the USPSTF doesn’t recommend it for everyone, guidelines from the American Cancer Society have led to 2.4 million life-years being saved.
Interestingly, most cancers that cause deaths don’t yet have a validated screening test. This highlights the need for more research to develop tests for these other types of cancer. There are promising developments on the horizon, such as blood tests that can look for signs of multiple types of cancer at once.
The study’s authors believe that innovations, especially in artificial intelligence, can help in finding cancer even earlier and saving more lives.
However, these new methods have not yet been officially reviewed or recommended.
It’s important to note that the study was funded by Grail LLC, a subsidiary of Illumina Inc. Some of the researchers received fees from this company.
In summary, cancer screenings are vital tools in both saving lives and boosting the economy. However, there’s still a long way to go to make sure everyone who needs these screenings gets them.
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Source: University of Michigan.
