Every once in a while we find it helpful to take a step back
from clinical trial results, experimental drugs, and finding a clinical trial
to look at some other cancer information. Today it’s taking a look at the big
picture—the numbers, or as close to the facts as we can get.
In the Wide, Wide
World
This year 9,000,000 people worldwide will die from cancer
and the number is rising. That is 13% of all deaths. The U.S. ranks 58th
in the rate of world cancer deaths. That means 57 countries have lower rates of
cancer deaths than we do. The rates are much higher in Poland and Hungary and much
lower in Mexico, Iran and many other countries.
There are growing numbers of people in the world with
cancer. How can this be with all the improvements we have made in diagnosis and
treatment? Well, there are more and more older people throughout the world. The
number one risk factor in getting cancer is to get older. And, more people are
living longer with cancer. Then there are factors like pollution and smoking, which is still
very popular around the world.
Close to Home
14.5 million living Americans have or have had cancer. 1.6
million more will be diagnosed this year and 589,000 will die from cancer. And,
of all those individuals, only about 3% (42,000) will ever volunteer to participate
in a clinical trial. You can help improve that statistic!
In the U.S. the 5-year cancer survival rate for all cancers
was 49% in 1977. It is 68% today—and much higher for some cancers such as
prostate (99%). Earlier diagnosis, better treatment, and lower smoking rates
have helped. The most common cancers in the U.S. are breast, prostate, and
lung. Breast and prostate cancer have high survival rates, lung cancer has a
very low survival rate‑‑still.
Over a lifetime your chance of getting cancer of any kind is
37% if you are a woman and 43% if you are a man. You can avoid some cancers (stay
out of the sun, don’t smoke) but others seem to just happen.
How About some $ and
Sense?
Cancer is expensive. In the U.S., cancer treatment costs
exceed $88 billion each year. Half of that is for Doctor and out-patient
Hospital costs. 35% is for in-Hospital treatment and 11% is for prescription
drugs. That’s a lot of money to help us stay alive. And costs are going to increase.
Summary
Cancer is very common, horrible, expensive, and
unpredictable. The numbers in this article won’t cure you, probably didn’t surprise
you, and will not likely change any of your behaviors and choices. But you never
know…
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To put a smile on your face see Larry's latest cartoon.
To learn more about clinical trials, take a look at our book.
(c) 2012 Tom Beer and Larry Axmaker
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