Thursday, November 19, 2009
Fewer Americans are Dying from Cancer
In 2009, a new look at research shows that there's been a continual decline in the rate of cancer-caused deaths in the United States. Those who have had the most marked decline in death from cancer are adults in their middle years of life; however, people of all ages have registered steady improvement. This appears contrary to prior research generated by the U.S. government, where it was reported that there's been only a small decline in deaths from cancer during the twentieth century. Recently there's been a closer look taken at the statistics and it's telling a different (and much better) story. The results of prior reports had been the result of an average taken of the cancer death rate from all age groups, formulating a composite rate. However, the vast majority of deaths from cancer happened to older Americans and did not take into account possible improvements among younger patients. Newer studies considered improvements in the rate of death among all cancer patients born every five years, beginning in the year 1925. When viewing this information, it became clear that everyone born after the year 1930 has experienced a reduced risk of dying from cancer. The group which benefited the most is actually adults between the ages of thirty-five to forty-five. These people have benefited from an over 25% reduction in cancer death, per decade.
This is news that many Americans hoped to hear. One of the greatest factors for this decline is believed to be improved awareness of cancer prevention. The United States has been steadily educating its citizens about the cancer risks inherent in smoking and implemented policies that make it more difficult to smoke publically. It is no longer legal to smoke in most U.S. restaurants and sports venues and penalties are much harsher against those who sell cigarettes to minors. Smoking Cessation medications like Zyban® and Wellbutrin SR ® have helped patients quit their habit, as have aids like Nicorette Gum.There have also been advancements in early detection of many cancers and people are going more frequently for cancer screening. Baseline mammograms are being recommended for all women thirty-five years of age and then every year after the age of forty. This has lead to breast cancer being caught at an earlier and more treatable stage. Colonoscopies are being more frequently performed after the age of fifty, which is saving many lives. Colon cancer is a condition which responds well to early treatment but survival rates go down significantly if the disease is detected later.
There are better treatment options which have greatly improved survival rates of cancers like lymphoma and leukemia. If is possible to manage such cancers as a chronic condition as opposed to being a deadly diagnosis. Advancements in the study of the biology of breast cancer tumors have led to more targeted pharmaceutical treatments. Today’s cancer drugs can be given to fight the hormones an individual tumor is thriving on and stop the disease from spreading. Anti-cancer medication can also be given as a preventative treatment for women with a known high-risk for the disease, such as those who tested positive for the BRCA1or BRCA2 genes (which may indicate a greater chance of inherited breast cancer). Cancer medications in general are more effective than in prior years and with fewer side effects. These medicines are also less expensive when purchased through an online pharmacy, such as http://www.pacificonlinepharmacy.com/. This new electronic option has made pharmaceuticcal therapy more affordable for cancer patients so more can get the help they need.
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