stage shift
Change in the distribution of cancer stages at diagnosis, typically toward earlier stages due to screening implementation.
Full Definition
Stage shift refers to the measurable change in the proportion of cancers diagnosed at different stages when a screening program is introduced or improved within a population. Effective screening programs typically produce a stage shift toward earlier-stage disease detection, with more cancers diagnosed at local or regional stages rather than distant metastatic stages. This phenomenon is considered evidence of screening effectiveness, as earlier-stage cancers generally have better treatment outcomes and survival rates. However, stage shift must be evaluated alongside cancer incidence and mortality trends to distinguish between genuine benefit and potential overdiagnosis of indolent cancers that would not have become clinically significant during a patient's lifetime.
Usage
Usage note: Hyphenate when used as compound modifier.
In Context
- "The mammography screening program produced a significant stage shift toward earlier breast cancer detection." — epidemiological study
- "Evaluating stage shift requires long-term population-based cancer registry data." — research methodology