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_Oman t1_ixn6ufq wrote

Reply to comment by Alt-One-More in Why doesn’t regular screening improve outcomes for pancreatic cancer patients? by raeflows

The simple version: If the screening were perfect, it would help immensely. When screening isn't perfect and the occurrence rate is is low, screenings can create worse overall outcomes for the general population.

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PolarSquirrelBear t1_ixnh2ty wrote

It’s why they won’t test for herpes unless you’re symptomatic. There are so many false-positives you would completely change your life around it, with a possibility that you don’t actually have it.

But with the prevalence of it, you can pretty much just assume you have it anyways.

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whatkindofred t1_ixpm12e wrote

If almost everyone has it then where do all the false positives come from?

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