Cancer Is Becoming Much More Survivable In The U.S.

Photo via Skeeze/Pixabay.

Today, 1 in 3 people is expected to get cancer in their lifetime.

The number of American cancer cases increased significantly throughout the 20th century. In the 1940s, 1 in 16 people got cancer. By 2030, there are expected to be nearly 22 million new cancer cases.

While we’ve yet to find a miraculous treatment, more and more people are surviving cancer. That’s thanks in large part to early detection and a rise in preventative measures. In terms of prevention, Americans are smoking fewer cigarettes, which is helping lower cancer death rates. Early detection success can be seen in cases of colon cancer, which have decreased following increased awareness around colonoscopies. Colonoscopies reveal precancerous polyps, and once they’re found, a doctor is able to remove them, which is crucial for cancer prevention. Because of colon screenings, fewer cases of colon cancer are developing.

The American Cancer Society found that fewer Americans are getting cancer, and more of those who are diagnosed are surviving. While some types of cancers are still on the rise, the research every day continues toward finding a cure.

Cancer research is better funded than research for any other illness in this country. The National Cancer Institute has spent $90 billion on cancer research in the last 40 years. It might seem difficult to pinpoint findings from cancer research that are helping to save lives, but they certainly exist. The ACS reports that research studies have been instrumental in saving lives. Their key findings in the last half-century include discovering the link between smoking and lung cancer, the link between obesity and cancer-related deaths, and the health risks of air pollution. The ACS has plans to continue their research, specifically looking into cancer survivorship and risks among senior citizen cancer patients.