- Breast and lung cancer rates have doubled around the
world over the last 30 years, a report shows.
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- Cancer Research UK said much of the growth was due to
more people living longer - as cancer is a disease which usually affects
older people.
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- But they said habits such as smoking and diet also had
a significant effect.
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- They said the analysis showed which populations were
at more risk of certain cancers, pointing towards ways of tackling those
forms of the disease.
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- One example is bowel cancer which used to be extremely
rare in Japan. But as the Japanese increasingly eat a westernised diet,
rates of the cancer increase.
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- Developing world warning
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- Since 1975, the world's population has grown from around
four billion to an estimated 6.3 billion.
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- The proportion of the global population aged 60 or more
currently stands at 10%, but is predicted to increase to 22% by 2050, Cancer
Research says.
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- For the UK, the report showed that even though the overall
incidence of cancer was rising, death rates were falling thanks to earlier
diagnosis and better treatment.
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- The researchers looked at the incidence of 27 different
cancers, but highlighted the rises seen in two commonest cancers; breast
and lung.
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- More than 1.1 million cases of breast cancer are now
diagnosed across the world each year, the research showed, compared with
about 500,000 cases in 1975.
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- They said most of the increase could be explained by
the increased life expectancy of women worldwide, together with the growing
population.
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- Lung cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer,
with around 1.4 million new cases being identified each year.
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- Fewer than 600,000 cases were diagnosed in 1975.
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- The increase has been linked to the rise in smoking.
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- Countries such as the UK, where smoking has declined
among men and peaked among women, are seeing big falls in lung cancer rates.
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- But increases in incidence of the disease is predicted
over the next 20 years in areas of the world where smoking prevalence has
increased - such as eastern Africa, central America and south east Asia.
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- However rates of stomach cancer, which was the most common
type of cancer in 1975, are falling due to improved home hygiene and food
preservation.
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- Researchers said screening programmes in the industrialised
world had also significantly reduced the number of women being diagnosed
with cervical cancer - although the disease is becoming more prevalent
in the fast-growing populations of developing countries.
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- Survival 'up'
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- Professor John Toy, Cancer Research UK's Medical Director
said: "These statistics show that cancer is still essentially a major
disease of the developed world.
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- "Only 4% of deaths in Africa are due to cancer,
compared to 19% in Europe."
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- He said the developing world could "learn from past
mistakes".
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- "Tackling the smoking habit, for example, would
minimise future lung cancer cases and substantially reduce the future cancer
burden in developing countries.
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- "Although these figures show a persistent increase
in the number of people in the world being diagnosed with cancer, developing
and refining new treatments will continue to improve the chances of surviving
the disease.
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- "Already, thanks to such research, many more people
diagnosed with cancer in 2005 will survive compared to those diagnosed
in 1975."
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- Jessica Corner of Macmillan Cancer Relief said: "News
that cases of lung and breast cancer continue to increase is a cause for
worry, especially since so much work has been done to promote awareness
of these cancers."
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- © BBC MMV
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- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4490271.stm
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- Comment
- From Dr. Alan Cantwell, MD
- 4-30-5
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- Here is the story...read it carefully.
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- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4490271.stm
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- Be sure to look at the accompanying MAP -- which shows
'Third World' countries as having the LOWEST cancer rates...and the most
highly-developed countries (like us) with the HIGHEST rate.
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- Apparently, a so-called 'poor diet' (unprocessed food)
is a BETTER cancer preventative than a 'good' and 'healthy' Western-style
diet for people who can afford to eat 'WELL'...
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- By the way, this story NEVER appeared in the US media
-- doubtless it was spiked because it would have shaken up the (big business)
cancer establishment.
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