Newell G R
University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030.
Biomed Pharmacother. 1988;42(7):435-7.
Cancer screening is the application of a test in large numbers of asymptomatic persons for the early detection of cancer. The objective is to reduce deaths among the population screened. Prerequisites for implementation of cancer screening are sufficient knowledge of the biology of the cancer, an appropriate screening test, an effective intervention, either by removal or with curative treatment, and the decision that the costs are worth the benefits. At this time, screening asymptomatic women for early detection of cancers of the cervix using the Pap test and breast using mammography has the greatest potential for the control of these common cancers.
癌症筛查是指针对大量无症状人群应用某种检测方法以早期发现癌症。其目的是降低接受筛查人群的死亡率。实施癌症筛查的前提条件包括对癌症生物学有足够的了解、合适的筛查检测方法、有效的干预措施（通过切除或根治性治疗），以及判定成本效益比是值得的。目前，使用巴氏涂片检查对无症状女性进行宫颈癌早期检测，以及使用乳房X线摄影术对乳腺癌进行早期检测，对于控制这些常见癌症具有最大的潜力。
