Research Assesses the Prevalence of Overscreening for Cancers Among Older Adults

In a study in JAMA Network Open , Penn State College of Medicine researchers suggested that older Americans may be receiving cancer screenings against recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, reports News-Medical . The researchers analyzed data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, reviewing data for 20,937 men and 34,244 women for colorectal cancer, 82,811 women for cervical cancer, and 38,356 women for breast cancer. Overscreened patients included those over age 75 for colorectal cancer screening, and women over 65 for cervical and over 75 for breast cancer screenings. The team found overscreening of 59.3 percent of men and 56.2 percent of women for colorectal cancer, 45.8 percent of women for breast cancer, and 73 percent of women for breast cancer. Overscreening was higher for women living in or near cities. Possible reasons for this may be that women living in rural areas may have longer and more trusting relationships with healthcare providers, or less access to screening centers. Women who live in or near cities also may receive automated screening reminders from more technologically advanced healthcare providers, while beliefs about cancer may differ between rural and city populations.