A thought-provoking discussion on the role of medicine in the lives of elderly individuals, centering around the story of a 74-year-old smoker who undergoes lung cancer screening, leading to a complex decision-making process regarding invasive treatments.
Early detection of cancer seems like a very good idea. But it's a lot more complicated than it seems. Oncologist and epidemiologist Vinay Prasad of the University of California, San Francisco talks to EconTalk's Russ Roberts about why many tests to detect cancer do little or nothing to extend lifespan.