U.S. Cancer Deaths Up, Reversing Trend

Report: Though Overall Cancer Death Rate Falls Slightly, Number Of Deaths Increased

(AP)  U.S. cancer deaths rose by more than 5,000 in 2005, a somewhat disappointing reversal of a two-year downward trend, the American Cancer Society said in a report issued Wednesday.

The group counted 559,312 people who died from cancer.

The cancer death rate among the overall population continued to fall, but only slightly, after a couple of years of more dramatic decline.

In 2005, there were just under 184 cancer deaths per 100,000 people, down from nearly 186 the previous year. Experts said it wasn't surprising that the rate would stabilize.

The cancer death rate has been dropping since the early 1990s, and early in this decade was declining by about 1 percent a year. The actual number of cancer deaths kept rising, however, because of the growing population.

So it was big news when the rate dropped by 2 percent in both 2003 and 2004, enough to cause the total number of cancer deaths to fall for the first time since 1930.

President Bush and others hailed that as a sign that federally funded research was making strides against the disease.

But now the death rate decline is back to 1 percent. And the 2005 numbers show annual cancer deaths are no longer falling, but are up more than 5,400 since 2004.

"The declining rate was no longer great enough to overcome the increase in population," said Elizabeth Ward, a co-author of the cancer society report

Officials with the organization say they don't know why the decline in the death rate eased.

It may be that cancer screenings are not having as big an effect as they were a few years ago, said Dr. Peter Ravdin, a research professor in biostatistics at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

One possible example: In 2004, the largest drop in deaths among the major cancers was in colorectal cancer. Experts gave much of the credit to colonoscopy screenings that detect polyps and allow doctors to remove them before they turn cancerous. They also mentioned "the Katie Couric effect" - a jump in colonoscopy rates after the "Today" show host had the exam on national television in 2000.

In the new report, the colorectal cancer death rate decreased by about 3 percent from 2004 to 2005, after plunging 6 percent from 2003 to 2004.

Colorectal cancer screening rates through 2003 did not show a decline. But it's possible they have fallen since then, Ravdin said.

Cancer society officials have also voiced concern that cancer deaths may increase as Americans lose health insurance coverage and get fewer screenings.

The good news is the cancer death rate is still declining, and that since the early 1990s is down more than 18 percent for men and more than 10 percent for women. Those reductions translate to more than half a million cancer deaths avoided, according to the cancer society.

Experts attribute the success to declines in smoking and to earlier detection and more effective treatment of tumors.

Processed foods should top the list for the reasons for the increase in cancer follow by mammograms, insecticides and the poisons that is injected into the meat supply and that is sprayed on the plant kingdom. Let''s not forget that all prescription medicine is unnatural to the human body. It''s a wonder we live as long as we do in spite of all the intervention our grandparents never had to deal with. We will surely not reach their age.

[rushman71]

Wouldn''t that really sukc for major insurance cos and medical corps if an actual cure for cancer is discovered? But we all know for a fact that will never happen!!!

[rodbarker60]

Nothing an Apricot seed couldn''t take care of...
Check out "Cure for All Cancers". I''ve been taking them for preventative measure for at least 3 years.

The poisoning of our food supply for profit is the reason for most cancers follow closely by prescription medicines like hormone replacement therapy. So much for medical research preventing cancer.

[Netterz]

There is HUGE $$$ involved with Cancer TREATMENTS, a financial cash cow. BILLIONS are spent every day on treatment, so as long as there is such large amounts involved, there is no incentive to work towards a cure. Since they can charge thousands to inject you with something they call CHEMOTHERAPY at around 12K each infusion, that is basically rat poison, why would they? It puts all that huge $ in there pockets.

[billpl-2009]

"...People need to realize that for-profit health insurance companies are COMPANIES...."
Posted by rf35

True and very sad....

But on the bright, It''s a hell of lot better than if it were run by the government!

[dtsingin]

You Go Guys!!!!! A lot of truth in those statements!!

[rf35]

"...cancer deaths may increase as Americans lose health insurance coverage and get fewer screenings."

Of course, if they did pay for a screening, Blue Cross could tell you it was a pre-existing condition and drop you. The insurance companies are out to make money; nothing more, nothing less. People need to realize that for-profit health insurance companies are COMPANIES. They exist to make money for themselves, not to pay for your health care. That''s just what they tell so you will give them your money.

Guess this puts a wrench in Bush''s "federally funded research" cheer. Another minor failure of this administration. But since Bush is more interested in keeping Bible-thumpers happy than funding real scientific research, that doesn''t surprise me. If he authorized funds for research into faith healing and the rates dropped again, I%u2019m sure he%u2019d take credit for that, too.

[drivelphobe]

Well said rushman. All of this baloney is designed to promote the medical industry, keeping physicians so busy they never know what is wrong. They sure know how to set you up for a myriad of expensive tests that only turn out to be inconclusive. Live you life and only go to the doctor when you are sick or bleeding. The rest is worhtless.

[rushman71]

Notice that CBS did not give ANY statistics on all the different kinds of cancer, and at the very end of the article they only make a very small comment about smoking:"Experts attribute the success to declines in smoking...." What is the number??? These health conscious nazis make such a big deal about second hand smoke. Organizations like this could say the sky is falling, and people would believe it. Remember back in the ''80s, when there was word that apples could cause cancer. And for a while, people bought the BS. Uh, hello!!! We are all going to die one way or another. You could be afraid of this, or afraid of that, because this could cause cancer, or that could cause cancer. But while you are so focused on being healthy and trying to avoid getting cancer....BAM!!!! you just got killed by an idiot running a red light, or someone stabs you in the gut for the 5 dollars you have in your wallet!!! People, there is so much in life. Learn to enjoy it. You''ll never know when the next day will be your last.