Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (34)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by MORRISON, A. S
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by MORRISON, A. S
Social Bookmarking
 Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 1982 Oxford University Press

research-article

The Effects of Early Treatment, Lead Time and Length Bias on the Mortality Experienced by Cases Detected by Screening

ALAN S MORRISON

Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Mass. 02115, USA and the Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Sidney Farber Cancer Institute Boston, Mass

Morrison, A (Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA). The effects of early treatment, lead time and length bias on the mortality experienced by cases detected by screening.International Journal of Epidemiology 1982, 11: 261–267.

This paper describes a means of analysing the effects that the benefit of early treatment, lead time and length-biased sampling (and other forms of prognostic selection bias) have on the mortality rate of cases detected in screening programmes. Both benefit and lead time reduce the mortality rate of screen-detected cases. A beneficial effect of early treatment will lead to a decrease in the number of deaths, the numerator of the rate. The amount of person-time among screen-detected cases, the denominator, is increased by early diagnosis as a result of screening (lead time) as well as by prolongation of life due to early treatment. The numbers of cases experiencing benefit and lead time can be estimated by comparisons of the numbers of deaths and numbers of diagnosed cases between the entire screened population, from which the series of screen-detected cases is drawn, and an other-wise comparable unscreened population. Benefit and lead time, as reflected in these numbers, can be removed from the mortality rate of cases detected by screening. The effects of benefit or lead time on prognosis then can be assessed by comparing the observed mortality rate of screen-detected cases to the rates with benefit or lead time removed. Prognostic selection bias (a tendency of screen-detected cases to be relatively benign or relatively malignant) can be evaluated by comparing the case-mortality rate, with both benefit and lead time removed, to the mortality rate of cases in an unscreened population. The relationships described are illustrated with data from a breast cancer screening programme.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
JCOHome page
J. S. Mandelblatt and R. Silliman
Hanging in the Balance: Making Decisions About the Benefits and Harms of Breast Cancer Screening Among the Oldest Old Without a Safety Net of Scientific Evidence
J. Clin. Oncol., February 1, 2009; 27(4): 487 - 490.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev.Home page
W. Dong, D. A. Berry, T. B. Bevers, S.-W. Kau, L. Hsu, R. L. Theriault, and Y. Shen
Prognostic Role of Detection Method and Its Relationship with Tumor Biomarkers in Breast Cancer: The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Experience
Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., May 1, 2008; 17(5): 1096 - 1103.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
The OncologistHome page
P. B. Bach
Response to "CT screening for lung cancer: update 2007".
Oncologist, May 1, 2008; 13(5): 608 - 609.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
The OncologistHome page
C. I. Henschke and D. F. Yankelevitz
In Reply
Oncologist, May 1, 2008; 13(5): 610 - 612.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
The OncologistHome page
C. I. Henschke and D. F. Yankelevitz
CT Screening for Lung Cancer: Update 2007
Oncologist, January 1, 2008; 13(1): 65 - 78.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J Natl Cancer Inst MonogrHome page
T. R. Holford, K. A. Cronin, A. B. Mariotto, and E. J. Feuer
Chapter 4: Changing Patterns in Breast Cancer Incidence Trends
J Natl Cancer Inst Monographs, October 1, 2006; 2006(36): 19 - 25.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J Dent EducHome page
O. Kujan, A.-M. Glenny, J. Duxbury, N. Thakker, and P. Sloan
Evaluation of Screening Strategies for Improving Oral Cancer Mortality: A Cochrane Systematic Review
J Dent Educ., February 1, 2005; 69(2): 255 - 265.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Eur Heart JHome page
M. Schaufelberger, K. Swedberg, M. Koster, M. Rosen, and A. Rosengren
Decreasing one-year mortality and hospitalization rates for heart failure in Sweden: Data from the Swedish Hospital Discharge Registry 1988 to 2000
Eur. Heart J., February 2, 2004; 25(4): 300 - 307.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
RadiologyHome page
J. H. Sunshine and K. E. Applegate
Technology Assessment for Radiologists
Radiology, February 1, 2004; 230(2): 309 - 314.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
NEJMHome page
D. Levy, S. Kenchaiah, M. G. Larson, E. J. Benjamin, M. J. Kupka, K. K.L. Ho, J. M. Murabito, and R. S. Vasan
Long-Term Trends in the Incidence of and Survival with Heart Failure
N. Engl. J. Med., October 31, 2002; 347(18): 1397 - 1402.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Int J EpidemiolHome page
R. Jakes, S. Duffy, F. Ng, F Gao, and E. Ng
Mammographic parenchymal patterns and risk of breast cancer at and after a prevalence screen in Singaporean women
Int. J. Epidemiol., February 1, 2000; 29(1): 11 - 19.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Arch Intern MedHome page
M. Senni, C. M. Tribouilloy, R. J. Rodeheffer, S. J. Jacobsen, J. M. Evans, K. R. Bailey, and M. M. Redfield
Congestive Heart Failure in the Community: Trends in Incidence and Survival in a 10-Year Period
Arch Intern Med, January 11, 1999; 159(1): 29 - 34.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
JAMAHome page
S. J. Jacobsen, S. K. Katusic, E. J. Bergstralh, J. E. Oesterling, D. Ohrt, G. G. Klee, C. G. Chute, and M. M. Lieber
Incidence of Prostate Cancer Diagnosis in the Eras Before and After Serum Prostate-Specific Antigen Testing
JAMA, November 8, 1995; 274(18): 1445 - 1449.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Home page
Stat Methods Med ResHome page
R. D Etzioni, R. J Connor, P. C Prorok, and S. G Self
Design and analysis of cancer screening trials
Statistical Methods in Medical Research, March 1, 1995; 4(1): 3 - 17.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Home page
JAMAHome page
J. V. Selby and G. D. Friedman
Sigmoidoscopy in the Periodic Health Examination of Asymptomatic Adults
JAMA, January 27, 1989; 261(4): 594 - 601.
[Abstract] [PDF]



Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.