Cancer Incidence Death Rates Continue to Drop

I recently read an article and an associated report that I found very interesting. One of the rather shocking statistics from the report is that from 1990 through 2008, death rates from cancer fell almost 23 percent for men and around 15 percent for women. It is estimated this has resulted in over one million lives saved.

The senior author of the report is Dr. Ahmedin Jemal who is vice president for surveillance research at the American Cancer Society (ACS). Dr. Jemal stated these reductions "largely reflect improvements in prevention, early detection and treatment."

Although the actual incidence rate for cancer has changed very little, it seems modern medicine is making great advances in treatment which is allowing cancer patients to live longer lives. I won't go so far as to say anyone with cancer is ever fully "cured" although we do know cancer can go into remission for years, decades, or perhaps a lifetime.

The interesting thing is that although the death rates for cancer continue to drop, we continue to see alternative medicine proponents such as Mr. Hubbs claim the exact opposite. They seem to think modern medicine is part of the problem rather than the solution, and they tend to believe there are unknown doctors and experts out there who can fully cure cancer with up to a 100% success rate.

Granted people can claim whatever they wish, but the real science proves that modern medicine is getting better at treating cancer, better at diagnosing cancer, and better at prolonging lives - while the conspiracy theorists and snakeoil salesman are never able to support their claims with any peer-reviewed science to independent validations.

So whether it be claims about baking soda curing cancer, or extracting substances from urine, or some miracle, super-secret biomedical treatment, they all talk a big talk, but they never produce any evidence to support they are honestly able to cure (or even treat) cancer like they claim.  Aside from other alternative medicine proponents echoing the same lines to one another and repeating the same cliches time and time again, we never seem to see any legitimate data to support their claims... even after years of being promised a report is "just around the corner" or that a study will be published "soon".

In the end, it is statistics like those within this report that show us that real doctors, hospitals, and researchers are making a difference each and every day - and they are on the right path.

Read the full article over at MSN Health (via HealthDay): Cancer Incidence, Death Rates Continue to Drop: Report, and you can find the original report on the American Cancer Society website.