interval cancer
A cancer diagnosed between regular screening rounds, suggesting either rapid growth or screening failure.
Full Definition
An interval cancer is a malignancy diagnosed in a screened individual between scheduled screening examinations. These cancers may arise due to rapidly growing tumors that develop after a negative screening test, limitations in screening technology, or interpretation errors during the previous screening. Interval cancers are important quality indicators for screening programs and are often analyzed to identify areas for improvement in screening protocols, technology, or interpretation standards. The interval cancer rate is typically expressed as a proportion of the expected cancer incidence in the absence of screening.
Usage
Usage note: Hyphenate as 'interval cancer' or 'interval-cancer' depending on usage as noun or adjective. Key quality indicator for screening programs.
In Context
- "The mammography program's interval cancer rate was 2.1 per 1,000 women screened." — Screening program evaluation
- "Review of interval cancers revealed missed lesions in 15% of cases upon retrospective analysis." — Quality assurance study