Everyone wants a simple blood test that finds cancer early. It sounds like the Holy Grail of medicine. But for many healthy people, relying on tumor markers is actually a statistical trap that can lead to unnecessary surgery and life-altering damage.

In this episode, I expose the "False Assurance Trap" of tests like CEA and CA-125. We break down the massive PLCO trial, where thousands of women underwent surgery for ovarian cancer due to false alarms caused by simple inflammation—a "burnt piece of toast" acting like a house fire.

We also explore the "Turtle" problem in Prostate Cancer (PSA), where we treat cancers that would never harm you, and the "Ghost Tumors" in Colon Cancer that blood tests completely miss.

Topics Covered:

• (00:00) Why the "Dream Test" is often a lie

• (00:45) The Smoke Detector Analogy: Cancer vs. Inflammation

• (01:28) The PLCO Trial: How 3,000 false positives damaged women's lives

• (02:05) The Prostate "Turtle": When curing cancer causes more harm than good

• (02:45) The Ghost Tumor: Why 30% of colon cancers hide from blood tests

• (03:30) The False Assurance Trap

• (04:00) The Real Screenings: Colonoscopy, Mammogram, Pap Smear

• (04:35) The Exception: Why men need a pregnancy test

#drchovanec #cancerprevention #medical #science #health #tumormarkers

Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with your doctor before making decisions about cancer screening.