I learnt something related to this from a brain surgeon relating to actual positives.
Say that a random scan uncovers that you have a minor brain aneurysm. The aneurysm's size and location implies it has a chance of rupture of around 0.2% per year. The operation to resolve the aneurysm, however, may have a 5% risk of death.
Weighing up the decision to have an operation is incredibly difficult, since most would be rather distracted by the idea of a ticking timebomb going off in their head at any time, yet the risk of the operation is more immediately significant. If undetected, the aneurysm may never rupture, or it may grow to a size where it causes other symptoms and can then be operated on.
(Or, of course, as in the case of a young friend of mine in his then early 20s, pretty much anyone can keel over at any time due to an undetected aneurysm anyway.. it's totally pot luck.)
Say that a random scan uncovers that you have a minor brain aneurysm. The aneurysm's size and location implies it has a chance of rupture of around 0.2% per year. The operation to resolve the aneurysm, however, may have a 5% risk of death.
Weighing up the decision to have an operation is incredibly difficult, since most would be rather distracted by the idea of a ticking timebomb going off in their head at any time, yet the risk of the operation is more immediately significant. If undetected, the aneurysm may never rupture, or it may grow to a size where it causes other symptoms and can then be operated on.
(Or, of course, as in the case of a young friend of mine in his then early 20s, pretty much anyone can keel over at any time due to an undetected aneurysm anyway.. it's totally pot luck.)