Most of us want tests that can identify cancer at its earliest stages. But determining whether a screening method actually saves lives is not a straightforward task. This story explains how researchers attempt to determine which screening tests really work and explores some of the controversies that have ensued.
Judges’ Comments: This examination of cancer screening tests and how well they do or do not work, takes confusing and contradictory findings, sorts them out and makes them clear. It would make an excellent teaching tool for health journalists (not to mention the public) and has a lot of potential impact if mainstream journalists use it to re-think how cancer screenings are marketed.
Read “Reality Check” by Sue Rochman.