Should I Be Tested for Cancer? - by H Gilbert Welch (Paperback)

About the Book

In this thought-provoking volume, a physician and public health expert challenges the notion that detecting cancer early always saves lives.

Book Synopsis

Getting tested to detect cancer early is one of the best ways to stay healthy--or is it? In this lively, carefully researched book, a nationally recognized expert on early cancer detection challenges one of medicine's most widely accepted beliefs: that the best defense against cancer is to always try to catch it early. Read this book and you will think twice about common cancer screening tests such as total body scans, mammograms, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests.

Combining patient stories and solid data on common cancers, Dr. H. Gilbert Welch makes the case that testing healthy people for cancer is really a double-edged sword: while these tests may help, they often have surprisingly little effect and are sometimes even harmful. Bringing together a body of little-known medical research in an engaging and accessible style, he discusses in detail the pitfalls of screening tests, showing how they can miss some cancers, how they can lead to invasive, unnecessary treatments, and how they can distract doctors from other important issues. Welch's conclusions are powerful, counterintuitive, and disturbing: the early detection of cancer does not always save lives, it can be hard to know who really has early cancer, and there are some cancers better left undiscovered.

Should I Be Tested for Cancer? is the only book to clearly and simply lay out the pros and cons of cancer testing for the general public. It is indispensable reading for the millions of Americans who repeatedly face screening tests and who want to make better-informed decisions about their own health care.

From the Back Cover

"I have long been a fan of Dr. Welch's research and his considerable insight into the dilemma of disease screening. I'm profoundly grateful that he has now made this information available to everyone in an easy-to-read, practical book. Should I Be Tested for Cancer? is a must-read for every doctor and patient in this country."--Christiane Northrup, M.D., author of Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom

"I did not think it possible to bring such a dry topic to life, but Dr. Welch has done it. He writes wonderfully well. For anyone interested in cancer screening or preventive medicine, this book is a page-turner. It will be a rare person--layperson or health professional--whose perspective is not changed by reading this provocative book."--Alfred Berg, M.D., M.P.H., Chair of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

"Dr. Welch has performed an invaluable public service. Whatever the successes of the nation's 'war on cancer, ' too many people now believe it's always in their best interest to detect the disease early and rout it, regardless of the costs. This book will inject reason and good sense into an arena of medical decision making often dominated by hype and fear."--Susan Dentzer, Health Correspondent, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer

Review Quotes

"One of those gems to come out of the academic press. . . . If you're worried about cancer, this lucidly argued book will be a godsend."--Malcolm Gladwell "The Week" (1/16/2009 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

H. Gilbert Welch, M.D., M.P.H., is Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Community and Family Medicine at Dartmouth Medical School and Codirector of the VA Outcomes Group in the Department of Veterans Affairs, White River Junction, Vermont.