Screening Research

Over the past 45 years, the majority of deaths averted from breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer were due to prevention and screening, rather than treatment advances, NCI researchers have found.

FDA recently approved the Shield test, the first blood test for the primary screening of people at average risk of colorectal cancer. Where does it fit in with other screening options for the disease, including colonoscopy and stool tests?

Some women who receive a false-positive result on a mammogram may not come back for routine breast cancer screening in the future, a new study finds. Better doctor–patient communication about the screening process is needed, several researchers said.

The expanded approval of two HPV tests allows the patient to collect a vaginal sample themselves in a health care setting, rather than a health provider collecting a sample during a pelvic exam. The availability of a self-collection option in health care settings could help widen access to cervical cancer screening.

The Cancer Screening Research Network (CSRN) will investigate how to identify cancers earlier, when they may be easier to treat, to ultimately save lives. In late 2024, CSRN plans to launch the Vanguard Study on Multi-Cancer Detection, a pilot study to inform the design of a larger trial of multi-cancer detection tests.

Researchers used computer modeling to estimate the number of deaths that could be prevented, and the harms caused, if more people used USPSTF-recommended cancer screening tests. The study’s lead investigator, Dr. Amy Knudsen, explains the findings.

In a clinical trial, a simple letter and phone call helped increase the number of people who completed the recommended follow-up testing after an abnormal cancer screening result.

Using computer-aided detection (CAD) during a colonoscopy doesn’t help doctors find the growths most likely to become colorectal cancer, two studies find. Researchers agreed that CAD, which is aided by artificial intelligence technology, needs further refinement.

For women in their 70s and older, the risk of overdiagnosis with routine screening mammography is substantial, a new study suggests. The findings highlight the need for conversations between older women and their health care providers about the potential benefits and harms of continuing screening mammography.

It may be worthwhile for some individuals between ages 65 and 69 to get tested for HPV, findings from a Danish study suggest. Specifically, the testing may help prevent cervical cancer among those who haven’t had cervical cancer screening for at least 5 years.

In a new study, providing rural women with an interactive video about cancer screening and follow-up calls with patient navigators helped get them up to date on screenings for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer.

An NIH-led study called IDENTIFY is analyzing what happens when prenatal blood tests in a pregnant person suggests the person may have cancer. Dr. Diana Bianchi and Amy Turriff talk about their experience with the study thus far.

In a review of 33 cancer screening guidelines, researchers have found that many don’t adequately capture the potential harms of cancer screening. Providing information on harms is critical so people can have informed discussions about screening with their health care providers, the researchers noted.

Many hospitals and community health centers are trying to increase cancer screening rates after the COVID pandemic caused them to plummet. The largest effort aims to add a total of 70,000 additional monthly screening tests over a 6-month period.

People who had a positive FIT result (signs of blood in the stool) but didn’t get a follow-up colonoscopy were twice as likely to die of colorectal cancer as those who did get a colonoscopy, a new study found.

Regular skin cancer screening leads to many diagnoses of very early-stage melanomas, results from a new study suggest. The results add to a debate about whether screening is fueling an overdiagnosis of melanoma in the United States.

Progress has been made on developing noninvasive tests that may be able to find many cancers early. But, as NCI’s Dr. Phil Castle explains, there’s still much to learn about these multi-cancer early detection tests before they become widely used.

Researchers have been developing artificial intelligence (AI) tools that could make cancer imaging faster, more accurate, and more informative. But there are also questions about whether these tools are ready for doctors’ offices, whether they will actually help people, and whether that benefit will reach all—or only some—patients.

The rates of timely cervical cancer screening fell between 2005 and 2019, researchers found, and disparities existed among groups of women. The most common reason for not receiving timely screening was lack of knowledge about screening or not knowing they needed screening.

Screening people for colorectal cancer after age 75 may be beneficial, a new study suggests. The findings provide helpful information for physicians to use in discussing screening choices with their older patients.

Combining text messaging with mailing people free at-home FIT kits helped increase screening for colorectal cancer among a predominantly Black population, a new study has found. It’s part of a larger effort to reduce disparities in cancer screening.

After a steep drop in screening for common cancers early in the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers are now exploring ways to improve cancer screening during the current crisis and beyond.

Updated cervical cancer screening guidelines from the American Cancer Society recommend HPV testing as the preferred approach. NCI’s Dr. Nicolas Wentzensen explains the changes and how they compare with other cervical cancer screening recommendations.

Many older adults are being screened for cancer who no longer need to be, a new study shows. Based on a nationwide survey, the study found that at least half of older US adults had received at least one unnecessary cancer screening test in the previous few years.

A blood test combined with imaging tests detected tumors—some at an early stage—in women with no history of cancer or symptoms, a recent study showed. The test also mistakenly indicated some women had cancer when further testing showed they didn't.

Clinical recommendations on who should be screened for lung cancer may need to be reviewed when it comes to African Americans who smoke, findings from a new study suggest.

In everyday medical care, there may be more complications from invasive diagnostic procedures performed after lung cancer screening than has been reported in large studies.

A new test can help to improve the clinical management of women who screen positive for HPV infection during routine cervical cancer screening, an NCI-led study has shown.

Cancer screening studies have shown that more screening does not necessarily translate into fewer cancer deaths. This article explains how to interpret the statistics used to describe the results of screening studies.

Colorectal cancer screening reduces deaths from the disease, yet about one-third of Americans aren’t up to date with screening. Learn what happened when people waiting for routine checkups used an app that allowed them to order their own screening test.

An analysis of data from a demonstration project led by the Veterans Health Administration may help to better define who is most likely to benefit from lung cancer screening.