Two new studies further prove that many people are actually overdiagnosed and overtreated. These studies are included in Oxford's Preventing Diagnosis Conference for 2014.
In an article published in BMJ last September 14, 2014, entitled "Mild hypertension in people of low risk," the researchers reported that more than 50% of those diagnosed with mild hypertension are provided with medications even if there is no sufficient evidence to suggest these drugs can reduce mortality incidence or chances of developing cardiovascular diseases. However, overmedication often leads to serious side effects including missed lifestyle opportunities. The risk of falling also increases. Overdiagnosis among these patients already cost over $30 billion annually.
The other study, meanwhile, focuses on the prevalence of breast cancer in different stages among women over age 70 in the Netherlands. In 1998, the country changed its breast cancer screening guidelines by extending the maximum age limit to 75 years old from 69 years old.
The research, which was still published in BMJ on the same date as above, looked into more than 25,000 cases appearing in the Dutch registry. The years covered are between 1995 and 2011. The results pointed out that more older women between the ages of 70 and 75 years old had been diagnosed with early-stage cancers after the new guideline was implemented.
Moreover, although the percentage of patients with breast cancer in its advanced stages dropped, the change remains small. But they also learned that there were also around 20 cases of overdiagnosis for every person suffering from advanced-stage breast cancer, which for them is a high level of incidence.
While the researchers of this study are not voting against breast cancer screening, they believe that doctors should start viewing and treating each case uniquely or separately. Screenings should take a more personalized approach and be based on more important factors such as risk of developing breast cancer, life expectancy, and preference of the patient.