RT Journal
A1 Garnick MB
T1 SCreening and detection of breast cancer and prostate cancer
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 2010
FD March 17
VO 303
IS 11
SP 1032
OP 1034
DO 10.1001/jama.2010.275
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2010.275
AB 
To the Editor: Dr Esserman and colleagues1 provided lucid and compelling reasons to challenge the current methods of screening for prostate and breast cancers and correctly concluded that “tumor biology dictates and trumps stage, so the basic assumption . . . that finding and treating early stage disease will prevent late stage or metastatic disease may not always be correct.” In the examples cited, early detection and treatment rarely prevent the development of metastatic disease, as evidenced by large screening studies in both prostate and breast cancer.2 However, hypothetical tumor C (one benefiting from screening) in Figure 3 is misleading and, as interpreted, will do little to change the status quo of inappropriately treating indolent cancers that are still “localized to organ.”