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length-time bias

— In screening, an apparent increase in survival due to detecting disease earlier than it would otherwise have been detected


Synonyms:

length bias

Full explanation:

Length-time bias is also referred to as length bias.

Because more aggressive diseases are asymptomatic for a shorter period, screening is more likely to detect slower progressing diseases, such as slow-growing tumours, which have a better prognosis, including longer survival. Screening may thus falsely appear to improve survival.

See also:

bias  ·  lead-time bias  ·  screening  ·  

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