Cancer and Oncology Research

Cancer Screening and detection

The 2 main key points of early detection of cancer are early diagnosis and screening.

Early diagnosis

Early diagnosis programmes aim by decreasing the proportion of patients who are treated at a late stage. They have 2 main components:

1. Increase in awareness of first signs of cancer, between physicians, nurses and other health care sources as well as the general public; and
2. Improved availability and cost effective diagnosis and treatment services, and improved referral from first to secondary and tertiary levels of care.

Screening

Screening is used for simple tests, across a healthy population to identify the individuals who have a disease, but do not have any symptoms. Examples like breast cancer a clinical breast exam is performed, and cervical cancer screening using pap smears, human papillomavirus test or visual inspection with acetic acid.