Solving the Overdiagnosis Dilemma

In a review in this issue of the Journal (1), Welch and Black clearly document that surveillance routinely identifies lesions that many patients would not need to know about in their lifetimes. These lesions only become a problem because we feel compelled to diagnose and treat them. What motivates intervention is the opportunity to prevent disease progression, metastasis, and death and the philosophy that “early detection is always better.” The...