SPECIAL ARTICLES   

Gazzetta Medica Italiana Archivio per le Scienze Mediche 2004 October;163(5):195-208

Copyright © 2004 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Screening programs in oncology: from the peculiarities of their planning to their social impact

Russo A.

Unità Operativa di Chirurgia Generale, Presidio Ospedaliero di Pescia “Ss. Cosma e Damiano”, Area a gestione sperimentale della Valdinievole, A.S.L. 3, Pistoia

The dramatic increase of oncological diseases led the researchers to plan programs of mass prevention and early diagnosis, known as “screenings”, in order to identify preneoplastic lesions or the biological starting stage of the disease. In this way, wider radical therapeutical options with possible recovery, are offered to positive cases. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the goals of this kind of trials and to describe the most common problems, occurring during their practical application, including surgical involvements due to early diagnosis.