Failure of researchers, reviewers, editors, and the media to understand flaws in cancer screening studies: application to an article in Cancer

Abstract

Observational studies present inferential challenges. These challenges are acute in cancer screening studies, in which lead-time and length biases are ever present. These biases can make any study worthless. Moreover, a flawed study's impact on the public can be deleterious when its conclusions are publicized by a naïve media. Flawed studies can also make the public learn to be wary of any article or reports of articles claiming to be scientific. Here, the author addresses these and related issues in the context of a study published in Cancer.

Keywords: cancer screening; efficacy of screening mammography by age; lead-time bias; length bias; observational studies; randomized screening trials; screening mammography.