Marcus Turner

It's the word that no one ever really wants to hear: cancer. Although our parents or grandparents might have heard that term and considered it an automatic death sentence, today's give attention to prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment means that people who are diagnosed with cancer often have a very good chance of beating the condition.

The Latest Research

In line with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), death rates from cancer have been decreasing because the early 1990s. In a lately published report on cancer from the years 1975 through 2004 (the most recent year for which data are available), the NCI mentioned that, 'Death rates decreased on average 2.1 percent per year from 2002 through 2004, nearly twice the annual decrease of 1.1 percent per year from 1993 through 2002.'

The NCI stressed that, 'Death rates are-the best indicator of progress against cancer.' This is because the analysis rates of cancer can frequently be considered in a positive light. For example, an increase in the diagnosis of prostate cancer (a generally non-fatal cancer) may be the result of a larger number of men acquiring PSA tests. Likewise, an increase in mammography may possibly lead to an increase in the diagnosis of breast cancer, but early detection typically contributes to better outcomes. Quite simply, more women could be identified as having early stage breast cancer, but fewer will die from the illness.

In line with the NCI report, mortality rates 'decreased for 12 of the 1-5 most common causes of cancer death in men (i.e., cancers of the lung, prostate, colon and anus, bladder, kidney, stomach, head, and mouth area along with leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma).' Among women, death rates 'decreased for 1-0 of the 1-5 most frequent cancers (i.e., breast, colon and rectum, belly, help, cervix, head and bladder cancers as well as non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, and myeloma).' Unfortunately, while deaths from cervical and blood cancers diminished, those from lung cancer and liver cancer increased for women.

When the Un-thinkable Happens