Top 50 Cancer Hospitals in the USA

1. Memorial Sloan - Kettering Cancer Center, New York
2. University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
3. Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore
4. Dana - Farber Cancer Institute, Boston
5. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
6. Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C.
7. University of Chicago Hospitals
8. UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles
9. University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor
10. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
11. University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle
12. Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
13. H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa
14. Cleveland Clinic
15. Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia
16. University of California, San Francisco Medical Center
17. Stanford Hospital and Clinics, Stanford, Calif.
18. University Hospitals of Cleveland
19. Barnes - Jewish Hospital/Washington University, St. Louis
20. Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville
21. University Medical Center, Tucson, Ariz.
22. University of Alabama Hospital at Birmingham
23. University of Minnesota Medical Center, Minneapolis
24. Yale - New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn.
25. University of Colorado Hospital, Denver
26. New York - Presbyterian Univ. Hosp. of Columbia and Cornell
27. Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
28. University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison
29. Ohio State University James Cancer Hospital, Columbus
30. University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics, Salt Lake City
31. Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston
32. University of Virginia Medical Center, Charlottesville
33. NYU Medical Center, New York
34. Rush University Medical Center, Chicago
35. Inova Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church, Va.
36. Wake Forest Univ. Baptist Medical Center, Winston - Salem, N.C.
37. University of North Carolina Hospitals, Chapel Hill
38. Harper University Hospital, Detroit
39. University of California, San Diego Medical Center
40. Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo
41. Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Fla.
42. Dartmouth - Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, N.H.
43. City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, Calif.
44. Clarian Health Partners (IU and Methodist Hospitals), Indianapolis
45. F.G. McGaw Hospital at Loyola University, Maywood, Ill.
46. Greater Baltimore Medical Center
47. Baptist St. Anthony's Health System, Amarillo, Texas
48. Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit
49. William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Mich.
50. Riverside Methodist Hospital - Ohio Health, Columbus

Lung cancer in women

Lung cancer strikes 900,000 men and 330,000 women yearly. Among men, smoking causes more than 80 per cent of lung cancer cases. In women, smoking is the cause of 45 per cent of all lung cancer worldwide, but more than 70 per cent in North America and Northern Europe. In both men and women, the incidence of lung cancer is low before age 40, and increases up to age 70 or 75.

The rise in female smoking prevalence is a major public health concern. In the US, more women die from smoking-induced lung cancer than from breast cancer and in some Nordic countries, including Iceland and Denmark, female lung cancer deaths have begun to outnumber male tobacco victims. Considering that in several European countries up to 50 per cent of young women are now regular smokers, this will cause a disease burden that significantly reduces women’s health in decades to come.

Cancer by the Numbers

Lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide, accounting for 1.2 million new cases annually; followed by cancer of the breast, just over 1 million cases; colorectal, 940,000; stomach, 870,000; liver, 560,000; cervical, 470,000; esophageal, 410,000; head and neck, 390,000; bladder, 330,000; malignant non-Hodgkin lymphomas, 290,000; leukemia, 250,000; prostate and testicular, 250,000; pancreatic, 216,000; ovarian, 190,000; kidney, 190,000; endometrial, 188,000; nervous system, 175,000; melanoma, 133,000; thyroid, 123,000; pharynx, 65,000; and Hodgkin disease, 62,000 cases.

The three leading cancer killers are different than the three most common forms, with lung cancer responsible for 17.8 per cent of all cancer deaths, stomach, 10.4 per cent and liver, 8.8 per cent.

Industrial nations with the highest overall cancer rates include: U.S.A, Italy, Australia, Germany, The Netherlands, Canada and France. Developing countries with the lowest cancer were in Northern Africa Southern and Eastern Asia.

Global cancer rates could increase by 50% to 15 million by 2020

Cancer rates could further increase by 50% to 15 million new cases in the year 2020, according to the World Cancer Report, the most comprehensive global examination of the disease to date. However, the report also provides clear evidence that healthy lifestyles and public health action by governments and health practitioners could stem this trend, and prevent as many as one third of cancers worldwide.

In the year 2000, malignant tumours were responsible for 12 per cent of the nearly 56 million deaths worldwide from all causes. In many countries, more than a quarter of deaths are attributable to cancer. In 2000, 5.3 million men and 4.7 million women developed a malignant tumour and altogether 6.2 million died from the disease. The report also reveals that cancer has emerged as a major public health problem in developing countries, matching its effect in industrialized nations.

“The World Cancer Report tells us that cancer rates are set to increase at an alarming rate globally. We can make a difference by taking action today. We have the opportunity to stem this increase. This report calls on Governments, health practitioners and the general public to take urgent action. Action now can prevent one third of cancers, cure another third, and provide good, palliative care to the remaining third who need it, "said Dr. Paul Kleihues, Director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and co-editor of the World Cancer Report.

The World Cancer Report is a concise manual describing the global burden, the causes of cancer, major types of malignancies, early detection and treatment. The 351-page global report is issued by IARC, which is part of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of WHO, states: “The report provides a basis for public health action and assists us in our goal to reduce the morbidity and mortality from cancer, and to improve the quality of life of cancer patients and their families, everywhere in the world,”

Examples of areas where action can make a difference to stemming the increase of cancer rates and preventing a third of cases are:

• Reduction of tobacco consumption. It remains the most important avoidable cancer risk. In the 20th century, approximately 100 million people died world-wide from tobacco-associated diseases
• A healthy lifestyle and diet can help. Frequent consumption of fruit and vegetables and physical activity can make a difference.
• 
  
• Early detection through screening, particularly for cervical and breast cancers, allow for prevention and successful cure.

The predicted sharp increase in new cases – from 10 million new cases globally in 2000, to 15 million in 2020 - will mainly be due to steadily ageing populations in both developed and developing countries and also to current trends in smoking prevalence and the growing adoption of unhealthy lifestyles.

“Governments, physicians, and health educators at all levels could do much more to help people change their behaviour to avoid preventable cancers,” says Bernard W. Stewart, Ph.D., co-editor of the report, Director of Cancer Services, and Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia. “If the knowledge, technology and control strategies outlined in the World Cancer Report were applied globally, we would make major advances in preventing and treating cancers over the next twenty years and beyond.”

From a global perspective, there is strong justification for focusing cancer prevention activities particularly on two main cancer-causing factors - tobacco and diet. We also need to continue efforts to curb infections which cause cancers,” said Dr Rafael Bengoa, Director, Management of Non-communicable disease at WHO. “These factors were responsible for 43 per cent of all cancer deaths in 2000, that is 2.7 million fatalities, and 40 per cent of all new cases, that is four million new cancer cases.”

As part of an effort to stem this trend, WHO is engaged in efforts to stem both tobacco use, and to improve diet, nutrition and physical activity. Tobacco consumption remains the most important avoidable cancer risk. The report reviews and recommends a number of strategies to reduce global tobacco consumption, requiring the coordinated involvement of government and community health organizations, health care professionals and individuals. The groundbreaking public health treaty - the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control - which the Member States of WHO have agreed to submit to the World Health Assembly in May 2003, represents a powerful tool to ensure that such strategies are implemented.

WHO is also engaged in preparing a Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, under a May 2002 mandate from Member States to address the growing global burden of chronic diseases, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and obesity. WHO is consulting widely with Member States, other UN agencies, the private sector and civil society on the strategy, which will be presented to the World Health Assembly in May 2004. The strategy will contain recommendations for governments on nutrition and physical activity goals and population-based interventions to reduce the prevalence of chronic disease including cancer.

2007 World Cancer Deaths Top 7 Million

The American Cancer Society today predicted that worldwide in 2007, more than 12 million people will be diagnosed with cancer and 7.6 million will die of cancer.

That's about 20,000 global cancer deaths per day, according to the American Cancer Society's first "Global Cancer Facts & Figures" report.

The report shows a gap in cancer survival among economically developed nations and economically developing countries.

Part of that gap is due to infection and lack of access to medical care in the developing world. Lifestyle factors also play a role.

"This cancer burden is also increasing as people in the developing countries adopt western lifestyles such as cigarette smoking, higher consumption of saturated fat and calorie-dense foods, and reduced physical activity," says American Cancer Society epidemiologist Ahmedin Jemal, MD, in a news release.

The American Cancer Society predicts that in 2050, there will be 27 million new cancer cases and 17.5 million cancer deaths "simply due to the growth and aging of the population" around the world.

World Cancer Annual Deaths CLOCK

Per Year 6202080

Per Month 516840

Per Day 16992

Per Hour 708

Per Minute 11.8

Cancer Death Rates Among 50 Countries

Bar charts are presented for all cancer sites combined and several specific cancer sites. These charts depict the cancer mortality rates 1986-88 in 50 countries around the world. The rates used are the number of cancer deaths per 100,000 population and are age-adjusted to the world standard (Parkin, 1992).

The cancer mortality rates for each of the 50 countries are ranked from the highest to the lowest. Separate graphs are shown for males and females. There is a four-fold difference between the lowest (54.4 in Thailand) and highest (235.4 in Hungary) male cancer mortality rates. The difference between the lowest and highest rates for female cancer mortality is not as striking (36.4 in Thailand vs. 139.4 in Denmark), a little less than four-fold. For males, the United States ranks 24th (163.2 per 100,000) from the highest; for females, the United States ranks 17th (109.7 per 100,000) out of 50 countries. For both males and females, the cancer mortality rates for the United States are in the middle. Cancer mortality is generally higher among males. It should be noted that Thailand's mortality rates look unusually low in that they are low for every site presented.

The death rates for all cancer sites combined provide an overview of the burden of cancer by country and sex. Cancer death rates for specific cancers may vary widely among countries, and an overall rate may obscure these site-specific patterns. The dynamic nature of these overall demographic patterns and rates is better understood by comparing mortality rates for specific cancers.

Death from cancer (most recent) by country

Rank Countries
1 Netherlands: 433 deaths per 100,000 peopl
2 Italy: 418 deaths per 100,000 peopl
3 Hungary: 411 deaths per 100,000 peopl
4 Luxembourg: 409.7 deaths per 100,000 peopl
5 Slovakia: 405.3 deaths per 100,000 peopl
6 Ireland: 357.6 deaths per 100,000 peopl
7 Czech Republic: 335.4 deaths per 100,000 peopl
8 New Zealand: 327.3 deaths per 100,000 peopl
9 United States: 321.9 deaths per 100,000 peopl
10 Australia: 298.9 deaths per 100,000 peopl
11 Norway: 289.4 deaths per 100,000 peopl
12 France: 286.1 deaths per 100,000 peopl
13 Austria: 280 deaths per 100,000 peopl
14 Sweden: 268.2 deaths per 100,000 peopl
15 Finland: 255.4 deaths per 100,000 peopl
16 United Kingdom: 253.5 deaths per 100,000 peopl


Total: 5,350.7 deaths per 100,000 peopl
Weighted average: 334.4 deaths per 100,000 peopl

Cancer Deaths Per Year

The origin of cancer is when cells in any part of the body go out of control. Unlike normal cells, cancerous cells continue to multiply at an alarming rate. They form new abnormal cells which invade other organs and tissues and spread to other parts through lymph and blood.

This spread of the disease is called metastasis. The type of cancer is named after the organ from where it originated.

Although each type of cancer has its own symptoms, there are certain signs that are common to all forms of cancer.

• Relentless fatigue, and in certain cases anemia.
• Unexplained weight loss.
• Pain generally at a later stage.
• Persistent fever. Fever is generally a signal of the immune system coming under stress.
• Bowel changes
• Persistent cough.
  Although the above symptoms are common to other diseases, if any two are present it merits a visit to the doctor.

Some significant cancer data are:

• Cancer accounts for one in eight deaths worldwide.
• Cancer accounts for more deaths annually than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined.
• Next to heart disease, cancer is the biggest killer in developed countries.
• Cancer is the third leading cause of death in developing countries.

WHO statistics indicate an estimated 7.9 million deaths worldwide because of cancer in 2007. This is expected to rise to 11.5 million deaths by 2030.

The principle causes in terms of deaths in 2007 were:

• Tobacco use – 1.8 million
• Obesity and inactivity – 274,000
• Harmful alcohol use – 351,000
• Sexually transmitted disease – 235,000
• Occupational carcinogens – 152,000

The WHO estimates that 40 percent of cancer deaths are preventable.

Cancers and drop in death rates

Breast cancer

Death rate dropping by 2% per year since 1990.

Colon cancer death

Death rates dropping by 2% per year since the mid-1980s.

Prostate cancer

Deaths rates dropping by 4% a year since 1994.

Lung cancer

Death rates dropping by 2% per year since 1991 for men, but has not dropped for women.

In fact, the total number of all cancer deaths among women increased.

Experts say they expect to see total numbers rise again. This is because people are living longer. Cancers tend to develop more in people as they get old - if there are more very old people around, there will be more cancer diagnoses.

As the American population is getting fatter, who knows whether in the medium term this will have an effect on cancer rates and cancer deaths. Obesity raises the risk of developing diabetes type 2, which in turn may raise the risk of developing some cancers.

Total Cancer Deaths Down In USA, First Time In 75 Years

For the first time since 1930, the total number of annual cancer deaths has dropped in the USA. In 2003, 556,902 people died of cancer in the USA, the total for 2002 was 557,271, according to figures published by the National Center for Health Statistics.

The greatest contributor to the fall, say experts, is the drop in the number of people in the country who smoke. Another contributor is earlier diagnosis, as well as better treatment.

This is the first drop in the number of total deaths. If calculated as deaths per 100,000 people, rates have been falling by about 1% per year for the last ten years. However, as the US population has been rising fast, it is only now that the fall in total deaths have overtaken the rise in the country's population.

The biggest falls in total deaths were seen in:

* Cancer
* Breast Cancer
* Prostate Cancer
* Cancer

These four cancers account for over half of all cancers in the USA

Cancer death rate down but 565,650 seen in 2008

The U.S. death rate from cancer has continued a steady decline that began in the early 1990s but it will still kill a projected 565,650 Americans this year, the American Cancer Society said on Wednesday.

The death rate from lung, colorectal, prostate, breast and other cancer types fell in 2005, the most recent year for which figures were available, but not as much as in 2003 and 2004, the group said. The actual number of cancer deaths rose.

The cancer death rate for men has fallen by 18.4 percent since peaking in 1990 and for women has fallen by 10.5 percent since peaking in 1991. Cancer is the No. 2 cause of death in the United States, behind heart disease.

The declines are driven by improved treatment and screening methods as well as progress toward prevention such as declining smoking rates, according to American Cancer Society researcher Ahmedin Jemal, who helped write the report.

The society estimated there will be 1,437,180 new cancer cases 745,180 in men and 692,000 in women -- in 2008 in the United States, as well as 565,650 cancer deaths -- 294,120 among men and 271,530 among women.

It said 559,312 people died of cancer in 2005, compared with 553,888 in 2004. The number of deaths rose even as the rate dropped because the U.S. population grew more than the death rate fell in 2005.

"The increase in the number of cancer deaths in 2005 after two years of historic declines should not obscure the fact that cancer death rates continue to drop, reflecting the enormous progress that has been made against cancer during the past 15 years," American Cancer Society Chief Executive Officer John Seffrin said in a statement.

An illustration of the slowing decline in the death rates can be seen in colorectal cancer.
The death rate from colorectal cancer fell by about 3 percent in 2005 from 2004, after falling by 6 percent in 2004 from 2003. Declines in death rates for lung and prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women were also smaller in 2005 than in the prior two years.

Lung cancer cases are falling in men and appear to be leveling off in women after rising for decades, the group said.

The overall death rate in 2005 was 184 cancer deaths per 100,000 people. The cancer death rate fell by about 1 percent in 2005 from 2004 after falling by about 2 percent in each of the previous two years, Jemal said.

Had the cancer death rates remained at the peak levels recorded in the early 1990s, an estimated 534,500 more Americans would have died since then, the group said.

Racial Gaps in Cancer

Cancer continues to take a heavier toll on African-Americans than whites, the report shows.

"African Americans are more likely to develop and die from cancer than any other racial or ethnic group," states the report. "The death rate for cancer among African American males is about 37% higher than among white males; for African American females, it is about 17% higher."

Most cancers are less common among Hispanics, Asian-Americans, and Pacific Islanders than among whites. But there are exceptions.

Compared with whites, Hispanics have higher rates of cervical, liver, and stomach cancer. Liver and stomach cancers are more common among Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders than any other racial or ethnic group.

American Indians and Alaska Natives have the highest rate of kidney cancer cases and deaths from kidney cancer, the report also shows.

Regardless of a person's background, the American Cancer Society stresses the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle to lower cancer risk and following guidelines for cancer screening.

Women's Leading Cancers

The top causes of cancer death for women are:

• Lung cancer: 71,030 deaths expected in 2008

• Breast cancer: 40,480 deaths predicted in 2008

• Colorectal cancer: 25,700 deaths predicted in

Not counting nonmelanoma skin cancer, women's most common new cancer cases are:

• Breast cancer: 182,460 new cases predicted in 2008

• Lung cancer: 100,330 new cases predicted in 2008

• Colorectal cancer: 71,560 new cases predicted in 2008

Men's Leading Cancers

For men, the top three causes of cancer death are:

• Lung cancer: 90,810 deaths predicted for 2008
• Prostate cancer: 28,660 deaths predicted for 2008
• Colorectal cancer: 24,260 deaths expected in 2008

Not counting nonmelanoma skin cancer, men's most common new cancer cases are:

• Prostate cancer: 186,320 new cases predicted for 2008
• Lung cancer: 114,690 new cases predicted for 2008
• Colorectal cancer: 77,250 new cases predicted for 2008

U.S. Cancer Deaths Up in 2005

New cancer statistics show a rise in cancer deaths in 2005 and an overall drop in the cancer death rate since 1990.

In 2005, a total of 559,312 people in the U.S died of cancer. That's 5,424 more people than in 2004, according to the American Cancer Society.

But the American Cancer Society also notes that the big picture shows that the cancer death rate declined by about 18% for men and 10% for women between the early 1990s and 2004.

"The increase in the number of cancer deaths in 2005 after two years of historic declines should not obscure the fact that cancer death rates continue to drop, reflecting the enormous progress that has been made against cancer during the past 15 years," John R. Seffrin, PhD, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society, says in a news release.

Seffrin notes that although the decline in the cancer death rate slowed in 2005, "the fact remains that cancer mortality rates continue to drop, and they're doing so at a rate fast enough that over half a million deaths from cancer were averted between 1990/1991 and 2004."

U.S. Cancer Cases, Deaths Continue to Drop

Better screening, healthier living and new treatments have all continued to help cut the annual number of cancer cases and deaths in the United States, a new report says.

The findings showed that new cancer cases and deaths from cancer have declined significantly for both men and women and for most racial/ethnic populations.

These decreases were largely due to decreased incidence and death from lung, prostate and colon cancer among men and a drop in two of the three leading cancers in women (breast and colon cancers). New diagnoses for all types of cancer in the United States declined almost 1 percent per year from 1999 to 2006 and cancer deaths dropped 1.6 percent per year from 2001 to 2006.

The report, which appears in the Dec. 7 online edition of Cancer, was compiled from data by the American Cancer Society, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. National Cancer Institute and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries.

"For me, when I see the downturn in some cancers it says we can actually address the cancer burden through a variety of efforts," said report author Brenda K. Edwards, associate director of the Surveillance Research Program at the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

But the battle against cancer continues, she stressed. "We see the downturn in mortality, but we still have almost 1.5 million people with new cancer diagnoses in 2009. So, we still have a large number of people affected. For some of them, we have relatively effective treatments and for others not so."

Edwards noted that for the cancers that have seen the biggest decreases, such as breast and colon cancer, effective screening methods probably explain the downward trend, although there are still too few people who take advantage of them.

Cancer rates are still higher for men than for women, but men had the biggest declines in new cases and death, the report showed.

This year's report focused on trends in colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer, the third most-diagnosed cancer in both men and women, is also the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Overall, colon cancer rates are declining, but the decline is mostly among those over 65. Increasing numbers of cases in men and women under 50 is worrisome, the report noted.

Among both men and women, there were major declines in colorectal cancer cases from 1985 to 1995, minor increases from 1995 to 1998, and significant declines from 1998 to 2006. Since 1984, death rates also dropped, with accelerated rates of decline since 2002 for men and since 2001 for women.

In fact, from 1975 to 2000, cases of colorectal cancer fell 22 percent; 50 percent of which was most likely due to changes in lifestyle, and 50 percent to more people being screened.

In addition, deaths from colorectal cancer fell 26 percent during the same time; 9 percent of the drop came from lifestyle changes, 14 percent came from screening and 3 percent came from improved treatment, according to the report.

Going forward, if there were no changes in lifestyle, screening or treatment, there would be a 17 percent drop in colorectal cancer deaths from 2000 to 2020. However, if current trends remain the same, there will be a 36 percent drop in colorectal cancer deaths.

But, if more Americans adopted more healthy lifestyles, such as quitting smoking, and were screened for colon cancer and had access to optimal treatment (such as more effective chemotherapy), deaths from colon cancer could be reduced by 50 percent by 2020, the report predicted.

Other highlights from the report were that among men, cases of prostate, lung, oral cavity, stomach, brain, colon and rectum cancers have declined, but cases of kidney/renal, liver and esophageal cancer, along with leukemia, myeloma and melanoma, are increasing.

Among women, cases of breast, colorectal, uterine, ovarian, cervical and oral cavity cancers decreased, but cases of lung, thyroid, pancreatic, bladder and kidney cancers, along with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, melanoma and leukemia are on the rise.

Where cancers have increased, Edwards noted that in most cases there are no effective screening tests to catch the cancer early. In addition, for many of these cancers, the causes aren't known and there aren't effective treatments, she said.

Cancer death rates remain highest among blacks and lowest among Asian/Pacific Islanders. Although death rates by race/ethnicity were similar for most cancers, deaths from pancreatic cancer, the fourth most common cause of cancer death in the United States, increased in white men and women but dropped among black men and women.

Among men, except for Asian/Pacific Islanders, the three leading causes of cancer death were lung, prostate and colorectal cancer. Among Asian/Pacific Islanders, lung, liver and colorectal cancers were the top three causes of cancer death.

For women, except Hispanic women, the three leading causes of cancer death were lung, breast and colorectal cancer. For Hispanic women, breast cancer was the leading cause of cancer deaths, the study authors noted.

These differences in death rates may be due to differences in risk behaviors, socioeconomic status and access to and use of screening and treatment, according to the report.

While these trends are expected to continue, they could be accelerated if more people would make the lifestyle changes needed to reduce their risk of cancer. These include not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a healthful diet and exercising.

In addition, lives could be saved if more people were screened for cancers such as breast and colon cancer, and if there was more access to newer treatments, the report said.

Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine, said that "there is enormous detail in this comprehensive report, but the take-away message is as clear as it is compelling: the incidence and death toll from cancer are both steadily, if gradually, declining."

That is not a new message, Katz noted.

"The gratifying conclusion is that we are effectively fighting cancer at every level: preventing it outright by modifying cancer risk factors; finding it early through effective screening; and treating it ever more effectively. The benefits of screening suggested here are timely in light of recent debate about the net benefits of mammography," he said. "The overall news here is clearly good, and is something of a rebuke for those who fear modern science rather than embracing the benefits it so often confers."

Cancer deaths decline for 2nd straight year

ATLANTA - Cancer deaths in the United States have dropped for a second straight year, confirming that a corner has been turned in the war on cancer.

After a decline of 369 deaths from 2002 to 2003, the decrease from 2003 to 2004 was 3,014 — or more than eight times greater, according to a review of U.S. death certificates by the American Cancer Society.

The drop from 2002 to 2003 was the first annual decrease in total cancer deaths since 1930. But the decline was slight, and experts were hesitant to say whether it was a cause for celebration or just a statistical fluke.

US Cancer Deaths Fall Second Year In A Row Despite Growing And Aging Population

The American Cancer Society has reported that the number of cancer deaths in the US has fallen slightly again, the second year in a row.

About 3,000 fewer people died from cancer between 2003 and 2004 compared with the previous year. This is small compared to the total annual death toll of more than 500,000, but it could signify the start of a most welcome reversal.

Cancer death rates (as opposed to total deaths, this is the number of deaths per 100,000 people) in the US have been declining steadily for years and the latest report by the American Cancer Society shows that the decline has been sharper in the last reported year, 2004. And the decline is actually more significant because it has outpaced the growth in the population, and despite the fact it is getting older.

Tobacco control is thought to be the biggest reason for the decline, because of the impact on reduction of cases of lung cancer, expecially in men. The second reason is the gradual improvements in treatment and early detection of cancers, as with the increased use of colonoscopies, and breast screening, for example.

According to the chart published in the report, one can see the large reduction in the rate of lung and bronchial cancer in men, where it rose steadily from 1930, peaked at around 90 cases per 100,000 of the male population in 1990 and reduced again steadily toward a present day figure of around 75 cases per 100,000.

Stomach cancer in men shows a steady decline from above 40 cases per 100,000 in 1930 to below 10 in 2003.

Colon and rectal cancer in men are also steadily dropping, while liver cancer is staying about the same, with a slight increase over the last decade. Prostate cancer rose steadily and peaked in 1990 to around 40 cases per 100,000 and is now approaching the 1930 figure of around 20-25 per 100,000.

The only male cancers to have risen, albeit very slightly, in incidence are pancreatic cancer and leukaemia, showing a rate of around 10 to 12 cases per 100,000 of the male population.

The figures for female cancers since 1930 have followed a broadly similar pattern as the male, with the lung and bronchial rates not yet coming down but they appear to have settled around the much lower rate of 40 per 100,000 cases.

Breast cancer rates hovered at around 30 cases per 100,000 females until around 1990 when they started coming down to the 2003 rate of about 25 cases per 100,000.

Stomach, uterus, colon and rectal cancer rates in women have steadily declined and at 2003 were at under 10 cases per 100,000. As for the men, pancreatic cancer has not reduced and is around 10 per 100,000, while ovarian cancer has also stayed steady at around 10 cases per 100,000 women.

The NCS estimates that the number of Americans alive today who have or have ever had cancer is about 10.5 million (roughly 4 per cent, or 1 in 25 of the population). Some of them don't have it any more, while others may still be having treatment.

At least half of all new cancer cases are cancers that can be prevented or detected earlier and people who get them have an 86 per cent chance of surviving five years or more. This high survival rate is due to improved, earlier screening as well as reduction in deaths.

The NCS suggests that in 2007, the number of new cancer cases in America will be about 1,444,920, excluding certain types such as most of the non-invasive and the basal and squamous cell skin cancers. The numbers of these last two is expected to be around 1 million this year.

The number of people in America who will die of cancer in 2007 is likely to be around 559,650, or more than 1,500 per day.

In the US, cancer is the second biggest killer after heart disease and accounts for about 1 in every 4 deaths.

The percentage of Americans who survived cancer for five or more years after being diagnosed between 1996 and 2006 is 66 per cent. This is a significantly improved survival rate compared with 30 years ago when it was 51 per cent. The ACS point out that while this figure is useful for making statistical comparisons on effectiveness of treatment and diagnosis, it is not useful in individual cases, nor is it a measure of long term survival rate since deaths from cancer can occur after the five years.

The report states that childhood cancer is rare, and that the mortality rates for childhood cancers (up to age 14) have come down by 48 per cent since 1975. The ACS estimates that 10,400 cases of childhood cancer will be diagnosed in 2007, and 1,545 American children will die of cancer in 2007, mostly from leukaemia.

The four cancers likely to be the biggest killers in 2007 will be: lung cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer and colon cancer.

Colorectal Cancer Screening--Recommendations from the American College of Gastroenterology

For normal risk individuals, the American College of Gastroenterology recommends screening beginning at age 50 (age 45 for African-Americans). The preferred screening test according to the American College of Gastroenterology is colonoscopy every 10 years. An alternative strategy for average risk individuals is an annual stool test for blood, and a flexible sigmoidoscopic exam every 5 years. Unlike colonoscopy, this approach does not allow identification and removal of polyps in the entire colon.

For those with a family history of colorectal cancer, testing should begin at 40 years of age or 10 years younger than the age of the youngest affected relative at the time of colon cancer diagnosis, whichever is earlier. For both average and high risk individuals, all potential precancerous polyps should be removed.

ACG Recommends Earlier Screening for African-Americans: Begin at Age 45

African-Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer at a younger age than other ethnic groups, and African-Americans with colorectal cancer have decreased survival compared with other ethnic groups. Physician experts from the American College of Gastroenterology in 2005 issued new recommendations to healthcare providers to begin colorectal cancer screening in African-Americans at age 45 rather than 50. Colonoscopy is the preferred method of screening for colorectal cancer and data support the recommendation that African-Americans begin screening at a younger age because of the high incidence of colorectal cancer and a greater prevalence of proximal or right-sided polyps and cancerous lesions in this population. The recommendations were published in the March 2005 issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology.

Recent Studies Reveal Underuse of Colorectal Screenings, Late Stage Cancer Diagnoses

An analysis published in ACS' journal CANCER in January 2008 of over 150,000 Medicare beneficiaries revealed that only 25 percent received recommended screenings for colorectal cancer since Medicare started to cover preventive screening tests. This finding reflects a significant underuse of proven screening tests among Medicare patients, and echoes other recent findings that Medicaid patients and the uninsured generally are being diagnosed with colorectal cancer at later stages, when the prognosis is far worse.

A study by Halpern et al. published in The Lancet Oncology on February 18, 2008 found a correlation between insurance status and stage of cancer diagnosis. According to the Halpern analysis, uninsured patients were two to three times more likely to be diagnosed at late stages (Stage III or State IV) than at Stage I. The disparity was most pronounced among cancers that could be detected early through screening or symptom assessment including colorectal cancer. The analysis also looked at racial background and found late state diagnosis for ten of twelve cancers among African Americans compared to whites.

Breast Cancer

The Cause of Breast Cancer

In a study of 150 breast cancer patients by Dr. Rau, in Switzerland, 147 of them had had root canals on the same meridian as the breast cancer. The other 3 also had dental problems on the same meridian, but they were not root canals, they were infections in the jawbone.

Another medical doctor reported a similar experience with his breast cancer patients.

Root canals create a safe-haven for cancer-causing bacteria. These cancer-causing microbes do not originate in the root canals. Rather, the microbe originates in the breasts and then some of them live the "good life" while hiding in the root canal(s), free from any interference of the immune system.

The statistics indicate that the constant reinfection prevents the body from successfully fighting the breast cancer. Apparently, when a woman (or a man in some cases) gets breast cancer, the body is generally able to fight it off, unless the person also had a root canal on the same meridian. The root canal(s) apparantly allow the cancer to win the battle.

What Dr. Rau proved was that a bacteria-type microbe caused breast cancer. This has been known for over a century, but orthodox medicine refuses to acknowledge this proven fact. See the book: Four Women Against Cancer, by Dr. Alan Cantwell, M.D., for even more evidence for this fact.

The point is that it is virtually impossible to totally get rid of breast cancer without removing all root canals.

While soaking your root canal teeth in 3% food grade hydrogen peroxide (i.e. putting 3% food grade hydrogen peroxide in your mouth so that your root canal teeth are soaking in the solution for 2 or 3 minute at a time), twice a day can kill microbes inside the root canal teeth, most root canal teeth also have a crown which does not let liquids inside the tooth except at the bottom of the crowns. So be careful about depending on the hydrogen peroxide solution if your root canal teeth have crowns.

Issues With Brain Cancer and Alternative Cancer Treatments

Brain cancer is one of the trickiest types of cancer for alternative medicine to treat. While it is easy to kill the cancer cells in a brain cancer patient (many alternative cancer treatments easily penetrate the blood-brain barrier), it is not easy to safely kill the cancer cells. The problem is that the debris from dead cancer cells can be very difficult to safely remove from the brain.
Other problems are inflammation and swelling. Before a cancer cell dies it gets sick. The problem is that once the cancer cell gets sick the immune system recognizes the cell as being sick and attacks it and this causes inflammation and swelling. This is not good to happen inside the skull.
One category of alternative cancer treatments that do not cause dangerous inflammation and swelling are treatments that build the immune system and then let the immune system kill the cancer cells safely. These treatments are generally used in conjunction with a product like Vitalzym, which strips the protein coating around the cancer cells so the immune system has an easier time killing the cancer cells.

The problem with these treatments is that they typically work very slowly and many brain cancer patients do not have enough time left to live to use slow-working alternative cancer treatments.

Fortunately, there are two treatments have been developed which work quickly and do not cause any type of brain swelling or inflammation. They are recommended in this article for the most dangerous kinds of brain cancer. For more typical brain cancer patients, there are more options to consider (including the two treatments for the most dangerous kinds of brain cancer).

Issues With Brain Cancer and Orthodox Cancer Treatments

While radiation may be necessary in cases of dangerous swelling and inflammation, using radiation to treat cancer is almost guaranteed to be useless. Let me start with the observations of one person familiar with brain cancer treatments:

• "Orthodox treatment for brain cancer, especially Children's, is absolutely appalling. Chemotherapy and radiation treatment cause horrific side-effects and permanent retardation. Very few survive for five years with this treatment. Their quality of life is ghastly, constantly sick from the chemotherapy/radiation treatments, their immune system wrecked by this barbaric treatment."
  http://www.cancerinform.org/kids1.html

I wanted to emphasize the concept of permanent retardation. The wife of a good friend of mine developed brain cancer. She had radiation therapy that bascially made her mentally retarded. It was only after this happened that the radiologist admitted to my friend that radiation probably didn't do any good. Needless to say his wife died.

• "As a rough estimate, neurosurgeons do well to cure one in every 1,000-brain cancer patients they operate on. Radiation therapy slows the growth of adult tumors, gaining perhaps one month of life, and may result in a cure of only one in 500-1,000 patients. Similarly, chemotherapy, despite 30 years of clinical trials, has not resulted in the development of a single drug or drug combination that elicits more than an occasional transient response in primary brain tumors."
  Dr. Robert Burdick, oncologist and professor at the University of Washington Medical School

Brain cancer and brain tumors are somewhat unique because of the "blood-brain barrier," which severely restricts the types of substances in the bloodstream that are allowed by the body into the brain. While the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is great for protecting the brain from danger, when the brain has cancer cells, the BBB can be a problem.

While there are new chemotherapy drugs which can penetrate the blood-brain barrier, because chemotherapy is worthless in the rest of the body, why would someone think that chemotherapy would do any good running around among the extremely delicate brain cells?

Recommended Primary Treatment - Tony Isaacs Oleander Protocol

The use of oleander as a treatment for cancer has come a long way since the days when you had to go out and cut oleander plants and make an "oleander soup," though some people still do that.
Today, the protocol is based on oleander pills which are prepared with a safe yet effective dose of the oleander plant. The only potential problem with this protocol is shipping the pills from South Africa.

The oleander protocol is also a protocol for AIDS, so you can expect this protocol to deal with any infections you have in your body.

This protocol is a complete protocol designed to kill cancer cells, rebuild the immune system, and do everything else needed to treat the cancer successfully.

As with every cancer treatment on earth, a good "cancer diet" is necessary. There are several levels of cancer diets ranging from simple to highly complex. The level of complexity is a function of the danger of the situation.

Adenocarcinoma - Important Notice

One of the problems in researching this kind of cancer is that in most cases when a person has a cancer of the gland tissue, the cancer is not described as adenocarcinoma, it is described as: lung cancer (adenocarcinoma is the most common type of lung cancer, making up 30-35% of all cases), liver cancer (liver cancer is primarily adenocarcinoma, with 2 major cell types: hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma), etc.

Do you see the problem? Cancers can be described in terms of their location, such as lung cancer or liver cancer; or in terms of the type of cancer cells, such as adenocarcinoma. I suspect that cancers involving the gland tissue are seldom actually refered to as adenocarcinoma or adeno carcinoma.

In using the "type of cancer" treatments on this website, such as this article, if you have a liver cancer which is an adenocarcinoma use the liver cancer article!! In other words, if there is an article on the primary location of you cancer, choose the article by location rather than this article.

If your adenocarcinoma is located in more than one location, such as in the lungs and the liver, then pick the article which involves the most dangerous location of your adenocarcinoma.

See the "Stage IV" article to find out where the most dangerous locations for a cancer are located (hint: brain cancer (due to swelling), lung cancer (due to congestion) and bone cancer in the spine (due to several reasons) are typically the most dangerous locations for a cancer.

Also if the cancer is in more than one location, take into account where the largest concentration of cancer cells are in the case.

In other words, do not use this article unless the cancer does not involve a major organ or there is no specific article for where your cancer is located.

Skin Cancer - Frankincense and Other Essential Oils

Here is a testimonial for Frankincense Oil:

• " just wanted to share more about Frankincense. My Dad tried it for his COPD and was very surprised with the effects. We were talking about what he called cancer on his face and top of ears and he was saying that he'd have to go have it cut off again. I just mentioned that he try some of his Frankincense. It's been about a week and half, and last night he started telling me how he was telling his friend that he had these things on the side of his face and on top of his ears. THEN, he said "I started putting my oil on them and one is gone and the other I can barely feel" he is starting to trust and believe in the oils. He is a very cautious man so I was a little surprised he even tried it. Sometimes we just have to be patient.

I have seen several testimonials for frankincense oil. Whenever you talk about "essential oils," the first manufacturer that should come to mind is "Young Living." They create therapeutic-grade essential oils, not the perfume-grade oils normally found in retail and wholesale distribution.

(Note: Some health practitioners import high quality essential oils made in other countries.)
The current protocol for treating skin cancer is the following (using a 1/2 and 1/2 mixture of the two oils):

1) Frankincense with Idaho Balsam Fir (3 days)

2) Frankincense with Tsuga (3 days)

3) Frankincense with Ledum (3 days)

4) Frankincense with Lavender (3 days)

5) Frankincense with clove, which may make the skin burn, so skip this step for cancer on the face (3 days)

6) Frankincense with Sandalwood (3 days)

7) Repeat cycle as needed.

The exact number of times the oils should be put on the skin cancer is up to the patient and their situation, but may range from 3 to 12 times a day.

Skin Cancer and Vitamin C

Vitamin C Treatment

When Vitamin C comes into contact with a skin cancer or external tumor (e.g. basel cell carcinoma), it hardens the tumor and forms a crust, such that the scab falls off in 2 weeks or so depending on how big the tumor is and how aggressive you get with the Vitamin C.

The solution is made by adding 1/8 tsp (teaspoon) of pure Vitamin C crystals to 1 tsp of water (a ratio of 1:8). Add any more and the Vitamin C won't dissolve. This should make enough solution to last all day. If more is made than is needed you should store it in a closed container in the refrigerator.

Even better, put 1 or 2 ounces of water (30-60 ml) in a small glass bottle and add 1 tsp of Vitamin C for each ounce of water (that is a 1:6 ratio). If after mixing you don't see any crystals on the bottom then add more Vitamin C until the water won't dissolve anymore. This insures a saturated solution of Vitamin C.

The treatment is to apply the mixture (using a cotton swab or Q-Tip) to the tumor. This should be done 2 or 3 times a day. It is best to put a bandage or other cotton covering over the tumor after each treatment, if possible.

On the skin cancer the bandage is just to keep the lesion wet with Vitamin C until the next treatment. If there is an infection you should change the bandage more often. Ascorbate is also anti-infective and is used topically and IV for burn patients. You would therefore be curing the cancer and infection at the same time.

Melanoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Melanoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) do not spread like other kinds of cancer. While most types of cancer spread by the cancer cells dividing, these two types of cancer spread by a different mechanism.

While there are microbes inside of all cancer cells, it appears from the evidence that microbes come out of the cancer cells in these two types of cancer and move through the bloodstream and burrow into normal cells in another location of the body, making these cells cancerous. This is why these cancers can spread like a wild fire to highly diverse parts of the body.
For this reason, to stop the spreading of these kinds of cancers, it is critical to deal with ALL microbes in the body.

In short, treating melanoma or squamous cell carcinoma involves two key issues.

First, is the issue of killing the stationary cancer cells. Like most cancers, the main melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma cancer cells are stationary.

Second, stop the spreading of this cancer. While most cancers spread by cell division, these two types of cancer spread via the bloodstream by microbes. Thus, it is necessary to make sure all microbes in the bloodstream are killed at least once every 12 hours.