Summary of Evidence
Note: Separate PDQ summaries on Stomach (Gastric) Cancer Prevention, Gastric Cancer Treatment, and Levels of Evidence for Cancer Screening and Prevention Studies are also available.
Benefits
Incidence and Mortality An estimated 12,200 new cervical cancers and 4,210 cervical cancer deaths will occur in the United States in 2010.[1] An additional 1,250,000 women will be diagnosed with precancers annually by cytology using the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear. A continuum of pathologic changes may be diagnosed, ranging from atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance to low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) to high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) to invasive...
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Based on fair evidence, screening would not result in a decrease in mortality from gastric cancer in the U.S. population.
Description of the Evidence
- Study Design: Evidence obtained from case-control studies.
- Internal Validity: Fair.
- Consistency: Multiple studies, large number of participants.
- Magnitude of Effects on Health Outcomes: Fair evidence for no reduction in mortality.
- External Validity: Fair.
Harms
Based on solid evidence, endoscopic screening would result in uncommon but serious side effects associated with endoscopy, which may include perforation, cardiopulmonary events, aspiration pneumonia, and bleeding requiring hospitalization.
Description of the Evidence
- Study Design: Evidence obtained from well-designed and conducted case-control studies.
- Internal Validity: Fair.
- Consistency: Multiple studies, large number of participants.
- Magnitude of Effects on Health Outcomes: Good evidence for rare but serious harms.
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