New technologies and improved understanding of the genesis and progression of various cancers have added to the enthusiasm for potential new strategies to improve screening and early detection of cancer. Research is also under way to evaluate refinements in current screening approaches, including determining optimal screening intervals, the ages at which screening should begin and end, as well as more specific estimates of the potential risks and benefits of screening for certain populations, such as racial and ethnic minority populations and people who have elevated risk for specific cancers. However, there remain significant challenges to developing, validating, and effectively implementing new cancer screening approaches. Guidelines for screening issued by different organizations vary considerably with no clear way of deciding which guidelines are most trustworthy. There is also a need to improve access to high-quality cancer screening and follow-up care, particularly in low-resource communities and among populations who are underserved or have numerous barriers to receiving care.

To examine the challenges and opportunities related to improving current approaches to cancer screening, as well as the evidence base for novel cancer screening methods, the National Cancer Policy Forum held a workshop, Advancing Progress in the Development and Implementation of Effective, High-Quality Cancer Screening, on March 2-3, 2020, in Washington, DC. This workshop convened a broad range of experts, including clinicians, researchers, statisticians, and patient advocates, as well as representatives of health care organizations, academic medical centers, insurers, and federal agencies. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions of the workshop and highlights suggestions from individual participants regarding how to improve cancer screening.

Contents

• The National Academies of SCIENCES • ENGINEERING • MEDICINE
• WORKSHOP PLANNING COMMITTEE
• NATIONAL CANCER POLICY FORUM
• Reviewers
• Acknowledgments
• Acronyms and Abbreviations
• Proceedings of a Workshop
  • WORKSHOP OVERVIEW
  • CANCER SCREENING: PAST AND PRESENT
  • NEW SCREENING TECHNOLOGIES AND STRATEGIES
  • CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN SCREENING TEST DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION
  • USING MODELING TO COMPLEMENT CLINICAL EVALUATION OF SCREENING
  • GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR DEVELOPING SCREENING RECOMMENDATIONS
  • PATIENT DECISION MAKING
  • PATIENT ACCESS TO SCREENING AND FOLLOW-UP CARE
  • POLICY SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE CANCER SCREENING
  • WRAP-UP
  • REFERENCES
• Appendix A. Statement of Task
• Appendix B. Workshop Agenda

Suggested citation:

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Advancing progress in the development and implementation of effective, high-quality cancer screening: Proceedings of a workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/26019.

Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.17226/26019

Additional copies of this publication are available from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Keck 360, Washington, DC 20001; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313; http://www.nap.edu.

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