A new year without breast cancer or any cancer is our hope.
According to WHO (World Health Organization) Breast Cancer has claimed 460 000 lives worldwide in 2008, out of the 7 million deaths that are claimed from all cancers combined. Of those 460 000, 5100 of those were Canadian women and 55 were Canadian men (www.CBCF.org). Although Breast Cancer is the 4th leading cause of cancer death worldwide, its is the second leading cause (2nd to lung cancer) in Canada.
Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and accounted for 7.6 million deaths (around 13% of all deaths) in 2008. The main types of cancer are:
- lung (1.4 million deaths)
- stomach (740 000 deaths)
- liver (700 000 deaths)
- colorectal (610 000 deaths)
- breast (460 000 deaths)
It is expected that by 2030, 11 million lives will succumb to cancer. Is this due to population growth or an increase in the number of diagnoses? It is unclear from the WHO website how this number was predicted.
More than ever, prevention, early detection and effective treatment should be at the forefront of all involved parties in the evidence-based scientific evaluation of current & potential forms of prevention, detection & treatment modalities. With 4 million more deaths expected in the next 20 years, we have much work to do.
Prevention seems like the easiest solution but is the hardest to research and implement. We are in a fix-it society where the focus and funding is on early detection (already with cancer) and treatment. This is a very important component of research but we can do better in the realm of prevention.
Let’s look at prevention:
We know that risk factors for all cancers are: (WHO)
- tobacco use
- being overweight or obese
- low fruit and vegetable intake
- lack of physical activity
- alcohol use
- sexually transmitted HPV-infection
- urban air pollution
- indoor smoke from household use of solid fuels.
So, if one avoids all of this, we are safe right?
Well, I am sure we all know many cancer victors who have avoided most of these risk factors, or we know people who have engaged heavily in these risk factors and miraculously have never gotten cancer.
It is in our humble opinion that for all that we know, there are much science as well as a hefty dose of politics in what gets studied, how it gets studied and how the results are interpreted. We believe that 1 in 9, is still one too many.
Pajama Angels have some exciting changes for 2012 that we hope to share with you in the coming year.
Until then, we thank you for your continued support as we find our voice and spread our wings in the hope to make a difference in our little part of the universe.
Thank You & Happy New Year from the charity with the quirky name.
