From a 1997 workshop in Paris, epidemiologists and other scientists describe methods to evaluate screening procedures and programs for cancer. The 14 topics include important influences on effectiveness and costs to be considered in evaluating cancer screening, Markov chain models of breast tumor progression and its arrest by screening, an illness-death model to predict the effects of different breast screening intervals, and using routing data to monitor and evaluate cervical screening. Distributed in the US by Routledge. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Cancer screening is an area of great interest to many researchers and the evaluation of screening, addressing such issues as the accuracy, timing and cost-effectiveness, is the subject of much debate. Cancer screening is evaluated (along with most other areas of medical research) through trials that use a particular array of statistical methods to assess the effectiveness of the screening process. This book is an edited collection of chapters written by the world authorities in this area demonstrating practical ways that researchers can use to help them evaluate their own screening procedures. It describes the context and development of cancer screening and its evaluations, and the modelling approaches used to evaluate cancer screening, and goes on the discuss the principles of monitoring service screening. The final part of the book presents case studies and problem solving scenarios to illustrate the foregoing discussion.
Cancer screening programmes have become routine practice throughout the developed world – aiming to detect the presence of the disease prior to the manifestation of symptoms, and to increase the likelihood of successful treatment. Naturally, these programmes require regular monitoring to ensure that screening quality is maintained, and to advance the early-warning system as much as possible. Quantitative Methods for the Evaluation of Cancer Screening is a professional title designed to provide the researchers of these screening programmes with up-to-date methods and tools for improving evaluation. The book presents an introduction to cancer screening and to the methods that are employed for its monitoring, followed by an in-depth account of the more complicated modelling approaches. Each chapter is written by an international expert in the field, and imparts practical specialist information that the reader can apply to the evaluation of their own programmes. Case studies illustrate the methods in practice and provide further illumination of the fields of breast, cervix, large bowel, and neuroblastoma screening.
