Cancer Death Rates Dropping Fast

WASHINGTON (AP) - Good news on the cancer front: Death rates are dropping faster than ever, thanks to new progress against colorectal cancer.

A turning point came in 2002, scientists conclude Monday in the annual "Report to the Nation" on cancer. Between 2002 and 2004, death rates dropped by an average of 2.1 percent a year.

That may not sound like much, but between 1993 and 2001, deaths rates dropped on average 1.1 percent a year.

The big change was a two-pronged gain against colorectal cancer.
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=106&sid=1268043
Around here it seems like we are always hearing bad news about health and medicine so I thought it would be nice to post something nice, for once.
Oh and for those who want to whine that "Big Pharma is suppressing cancer cures" let me just say that since cancer DOES NOT have one root cause and is very complex the idea that there is ONE thing that is going to cure all cancers is highly unlikely . Personally I think better prevention and better treatments, making cancer not so big a killer is a VERY good thing...:toast: to all the people who work hard to fight this deadly set of diseases!

But thanks for the information just the same. That is good news for sure.

Really, we don't trust science?

I am not against science. I am just aware that politics and backstabbing are
as embedded in medicine and science as any other field. Maybe even more so.

is not based in sound scientific principle.

or however the expression goes.

so to me, we still don't have cures for cancer. Science knows how to do three things to cancer: surgery, radiation, and chemo. None of those treat the underlying causes, which is prolly why approximately 84% of the patients who are treated with these methods have a repeat cancer of one kind or another within five years. Good to see the drop in death rates, but I'd love to see a healthier and more focused prevention/treatment/cure.

Sometimes scientists can be quacks outside of their specialties. I wouldn't take medical advice from a climate specialist on global warming, would you?

We should all be so fortunate.
By the way, he forty-year old theories about Vitamin c were validated two years ago.

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=fbab2e56-d6c2-4238-8b39-e1f19ea7cf54

Science is a real a-hole most of the time (and slowwwwwww! and they're proud of how slow they are, btw).

:sarcasm:

Science is SUPPOSED to be slow because it's supposed to be careful, especially when it come to the things we eat.

go with things that have shown scientific potential. Most "alternatives" have not (and yes there have been plenty of studies that show which herbs and alternative treatments are effective- and some of these altie "methods" are toxic too- ie laetrile which contains CYANIDE).
Remember that aspirin/salicylic acid is a derivative of willow bark. Many "drugs" are derived from the most active ingredient found in certain natural plants-purified and concentrated...

What is it, genetics? Nutrition? Or other factors?


Only this paragraph is mentioning it