This article is very troubling to me as I rapidly approach that 66 yr old threshhold. This comment: "They get no added benefit from annual screening, and face almost twice the false positives and biopsy recommendations, which may cause
anxiety and inconvenience." This is a carefully worded statement meant to obfuscate - the "added benefit" is that if you have cancer today but your next screening isn't for 2 yrs from now, how advanced do you think that cancer will be in 2 yrs time? And the use of "may" cause anxiety - but it also "may" NOT cause anxiety - the actual statistic is not given to show which way the "may" leans. And again, this quote - "life expectancy and co-existing illnesses should be taken into consideration when informing recommendations" is very frightening because of it's implication that the expectation of length of life lessens that person's value. Yes my "expectation of length of life" is certainly much shorter than my 38 yr old daughter's expectation but is that a reason to deny me screening and the resultant treatment, if necessary, to add to my 64 years. These decisions should be left to me and my family and my physician. If I, or you, should decide not to have a screening or to refuse treatment, then no one should have the right to force treatment on me or you. Conversely, if I want and need screening and treatment, no one should have the right to make that decision for me. This is the coming philosophy of medical care in this country - resources will be limited and care will be denied to meet those limitations. When life expectancy rates in this country begin to fall instead of extending, remember how it started. And never forget you will eventually become one of the expendables.
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