Screening tests, such as Pap smears or blood pressure checks, could save your life. They can detect a disease you have no reason to suspect is there. Early detection may allow treatment while a health condition is curable and before irreversible complications arise.
Some screening tests help prevent the disease they are designed to detect. For example, colonoscopies and Pap smears can identify precancerous abnormalities that can be addressed so they cannot continue to grow and become cancerous….
