Forsaking Fortune: Luck and Its Limited Utility to Cancer Diagnosis

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/pom.2024.188

Keywords:

Cancer diagnosis, Luck, Social determinants of health

Abstract

This paper interrogates the concept of luck in cancer diagnosis. I argue that while it might have some utility for individuals, at the clinical and research level, the concept impedes important prevention efforts and misdirects sources of blame in a cancer diagnosis. Such use, in fact, has the possibility of harming already vulnerable efforts at ameliorating social determinants of health and should therefore be eliminated from research and clinical contexts.  

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Published

2024-12-06

How to Cite

Allen, H. (2024). Forsaking Fortune: Luck and Its Limited Utility to Cancer Diagnosis. Philosophy of Medicine, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.5195/pom.2024.188

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 1 (2024)

Section

Original Research Articles (health, disease and illness)

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Copyright (c) 2024 Hannah Allen

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