Many medical evaluations and tests may be thought of as screening procedures as well. For example, the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test for prostate cancer, which measures blood concentrations of PSA, a protein produced by the prostate gland. Screening tests are often laboratory tests that detect particular markers of a specific disease. In addition, one needs to consider other factors when evaluating screening tests, such as their cost, availability, and discomfort. In fact, many screening tests have potential adverse effects that need to be considered and weighed against the potential benefits. This topic is also addressed in the core course in epidemiology in the learning module on Screening for Disease, in which one of the points that is stressed is that screening tests do not necessarily extend life or improve outcomes. The rationale is that, if disease is identified early (before the manifestation of symptoms), then earlier treatment may lead to cure or improved survival or quality of life. Screening tests are often used in clinical practice to assess the likelihood that a person has a particular medical condition.
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