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lead-time bias

— A distortion overestimating the apparent time surviving with a disease caused by bringing forward the time of its diagnosis.

Full explanation:

Lead-time bias occurs when follow-up of participants in treatment comparison groups begins at different times.

Example:

For example, even if treatments for people with cancer are not effective, people whose cancer is detected early by screening will appear to survive longer than people without screening, whose cancer is not detected until they have symptoms.

Read the full entry:  Lead Time Bias in the Catalogue of Bias.

See also:

bias  ·  length-time bias  ·  screening

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