Cancer is fear. Cancer is pain and suffering. Cancer is loved ones lost. Cancer is an epidemic that continues to grow and, like no other disease, has consistently exposed the weaknesses of the medical industry. Simply put, we are not winning this war. Anyone who purports otherwise is either lying, or is easily influenced by misleading statistics.
For example, some say that we are succeeding based on the fact that the number of cancer deaths per year is not increasing as fast as the number of new cases.1 This is obviously a ridiculous yet sobering assessment. If we are doing well we would see a decline in the number of deaths, and not a continual increase year after year. In the US, over 1600 people die from cancer each day, and Canada became one of the first few countries in the world where cancer is officially the leading cause of death. We are living with the reality that one in two Canadians are expected to be diagnosed with cancer.2
Some will claim that we are surviving more with the disease, but this is also, in large part, a false perception influenced by misleading statistics. For example, more aggressive cancer screening allows for earlier detection than ever before, thus giving the illusion of increased life expectancy. Clearly, just because people are living longer following diagnosis doesn’t necessarily mean they are living longer with cancer, but that the disease is now being detected earlier than in the past. Then we have a whole category of “pseudo-cancers” - benign tumours such as ductal carcinoma in situ (stage 0 cancer) - that many women are diagnosed with and aggresively treated for with surgery, radiation and drugs, when in fact a large percentage of these low risk “pseudo-cancers” would never have developed into any real cancer that would have required treatment.3,4 Many women are, essentially, receiving very harmful, life altering medical care and “surviving" a cancer that they never had in the first place. It’s almost criminal, yet completely legal and common practice.
These examples, and countless more, serve to remind us that the confusing language of cancer and the play on statistics should not divert our attention away from the truth; we need a paradigm shift in order to start winning this war.
Yet despite the medical industry’s many failures, cancer remains a very lucrative field. Never before have we witnessed a business that, after 50 years, continues to be highly profitable despite the fact that it continually overpromises and underachieves. Nor has it ever been more difficult for the general public to distinguish between the business of cancer versus the actual scientific evidence that can lead to better prevention and treatment options. It becomes even harder to tell these apart when respectable news outlets publish content that resembles real news, but is in fact just marketing in full disguise.
Very insightful article, there is no much more than can be done to inform people, and more importantly to provide incentives for taking corrective changes for a better health. Information is a powerful tool.
I enjoyed reading your work! Thank you
Thank you Mark. I completely agree with you regarding giving people incentives to be healthy- especially in Canada where people consider healthcare to be free. The let’s get sick and worry about it after approach results in bigger hospitals and damaged lives. A proactive approach is the only solution to improving our current state of health. Thank you.
An excellent, well-researched article Marc. You touch upon several key points — all equally important, but in my opinion the issue of ‘sponsored content’ regarding health and treatment is by far the most shocking. We as a society are getting far too complacent in the role we need to play to send a clear message to media that all forms of ‘fake news’ are unacceptable.
This type of article printed in a reputable newspaper 20 or 30 years ago would have caused an uproar and possibly a backlash in the form of sales and subscriptions. Today? It is readily accepted — apparently it’s up to the reader to figure out what is real news and what is advertising.
Cancer patients and their families are extremely vulnerable in their search for best available options. There is no question that the medical establishment with it’s close ties to pharma and research funding has a narrow focus in cancer treatment. Perhaps we can’t readily change the medical establishment — it is embedded in its ways. However, we can have a voice in what we accept as news.
Thank you or writing and sharing such a well-sourced article.
Thank you very much Branka,
I completely agree with you about how vulnerable people are after receiving a cancer diagnosis. This is why I feel it is so important to be aware of these issues while we are in a less emotional state, so that we can be better consumers of information for ourselves as well as our loved ones.
The problems with the cancer industry are systemic, and that’s what makes it so hard to change. However, as you emphasized so well, we have a voice – and we have the ability to educate ourselves in order to demand better from our medical system.
Thank you.
How refreshing to have an article so well researched and backed up with enough stats. You are right about cancer becoming so prevalent and yet more money is spent on researching the cure. Why not on prevention ? Nice one Marc. You need to do a TED talk.
Thank you Sushma.
In addition to prevention, more discussion should be had on how nutritional therapy can be used effectively as a first line treatment. That’s where we are heading as the evidence keeps growing.
I am not certain chemotherapy as a treatment for cancer ever has a place. Having said that, I really appreciate the attitude and perception of this article. Thank you, much.
Thank you Stephen. I concur with you regarding chemotherapy. Unfortunately, in medicine what should be used as the exception often becomes the rule – and this is true for many drugs and treatments. However, I did not want this article to be a referendum on any one therapy, but a general overview emphasizing why we need to adopt a completely different approach moving forward. The faster we put an end to chemotherapy, the better. Thank you.
Great article that will enlighten many people. Keep on writing about these issues, and educating people!
Thank you very much Lynda, I appreciate your continued support and how you inspire others around you to live a healthier life.