ASHLEY MALTZ, MD
  • Home
  • About
  • Conditions Treated
  • Work with Me
  • Services and Fees
  • Blog
  • Contact Dr. Maltz
  • Store

Blog

RSS Feed

US cancer death rates declining. What does that mean?

6/18/2011

2 Comments

 
Here's an interesting article I just stumbled upon that leads to some interesting discussion. The main idea is that US cancer death rates are on the decline, but those most vulnerable (ie, the Uninsured and Underinsured) are achieving fewer cure rates due to limited resources. Putting the political "health care for all' debate aside, I had some thoughts on the simple fact that cancer death rates are declining.

First, this article highlights decreasing DEATH rates in the US, NOT (a) incidence or (b) prevelance rates [(a) the number of new cases of cancer diagnosed divided by the total population in a given amount of time, usually per year; and (b) the number of total cancer cases (anyone with an active cancer diagnosis) divided by the total population in a given amount of time (also, usually a year)]. This is an important distinction because it highlights the advantage of multiple preventive medicine themes: 1) early detection and 2) early treatment.
We now have the knowledge and tools to detect it earlier and treat it earlier.

According to CDC (Center for Disease Control) statistics (SEER data), some forms of cancer (including lung, breast and colon cancer) are on the decline in terms of new cases, Kidney cancer and melanoma cases are definitely on the rise, however. One caveat though, the decline in the aforementioned cancers does not, in general, apply to many minorities and other vulnerable populations, ie, children, elderly and the un/under-insured.

Given the fact that cancer is occurring more frequently among certain populations and remains at very high rates among the majority of the population, I'd like you all to consider what it would be like to actually HAVE cancer. First imagine the stress of being diagnosed, the stress of multiple doctor visits, biopsies and blood work. Then, consider the stress of being told multiple opinions in regards to treatment and then finally, consider the actual treatment - being painfully poked and prodded for venous access, having a to take a pill every day or sit through long IV chemo infusions or radiation sessions. And then, the waiting, praying and hoping, all while you could have been enjoying your life! Not to mention, the medical bills that pile up and days of nausea, vomiting, pain, extreme fatigue and hair loss, etc. Very inconvenient!!! In addition, many of these effects can be long lasting depending on the drugs or radiation doses used.

Now imagine a world with less cancer, less stress and more happiness. This is the world that Preventive Medicine specialists such as myself are trying to achieve. But we need YOUR HELP! Read up on your products and use ones that are paraben and phalate-free, get to the gym 150 minutes per week, eat more fruits and veggies that contain natural anti-cancer vitamins and minerals, buy organic, use less pollution-causing fossil fuels, write or call your Congressperson and GET INVOLVED! Don't wait for the government or private industry to clean up this mess. Do something NOW!

This is YOUR HEALTH and YOUR LIFE and unfortunately, you only get one! Please help us change the current carcinogenic lifestyle we live in. Not only will you be doing good things for others, but you'll also help yourself...and that in itself, makes it all worth it.



Here's the article that stemmed this blog entry:
NPR: US Cancer Death Rates Decline, But Disparities Persist Published: June 17, 2011 by National Public Radio (US)
by Scott Hensley


The rate at which Americans die from cancer continues to fall, according to the latest estimates from the American Cancer Society. As a result, nearly 900,000 cancer deaths were avoided between 1990 and 2007, the group figures. Survival gains have come as mortality rates have declined for some of the most common malignancies, including colorectal cancer, breast cancer in women and prostate cancer.


Still, the ACS estimates there will nearly 1.6 million new cancers diagnosed this year, and about 572,000 deaths from the disease. The incidence of cancers hasn't budged much for men in recent years, after falling quite a bit during the first half of the last decade. Cancer incidence for women has been falling since 1998.


Lung cancer remains the biggest killer for both men and women. All told, about 160,000 people in the U.S. are expected to die from it this year. Starting in 1987, more women have died from lung cancer each year than breast cancer.


One section of the report focuses on a persistent and, in some cases, widening gap in cancer death rates between people with the least education and those with the most. Educational attainment is often used in research as a proxy for socioeconomic status.


American Cancer Society epidemiologist Elizabeth Ward, one of the report's authors, tells Shots, "People of a lower socioeconomic status are more likely to smoke and less likely to get access to care where they can get screened for early detection."


Then there's issue of health coverage, which can make a big difference in treatment. "People with higher income jobs usually work for employers who offer better insurance," Ward says.


The report was just published online by CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.



Have a great weekend!

Dr. M
2 Comments

    Enter your email address for blog updates sent directly to your inbox:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    RSS Feed

    Author

    Dr. Maltz earned a Medical Degree and Master in Public Health from the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, TX. She completed a combined Internal and Preventive Medicine Residency at UTMB in June, 2011. She then completed a 2-year Integrative Medicine Fellowship at Stamford Hospital in Stamford, CT, during which she simultaneously underwent an intensive 1000-hour curriculum created by The University of Arizona Integrative Medicine Program founded by Dr. Andrew Weil.  

    Dr. Maltz's specific interests include helping her patients and populations improve their health through lifestyle interventions including, but not limited to, natural pain relief, nutrition, mind-body techniques and decreasing environmental exposures. She spent the last year of her four-year medical residency participating in health policy, cancer prevention and environmental health rotations and enjoys guiding people through the overwhelming amount of health information available on the web.

    Archives

    October 2020
    January 2019
    July 2018
    May 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    January 2017
    September 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    April 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010

    Categories

    All
    Abe For Fitness
    Abuse
    Achieving Happiness
    Acpm
    Acupuncture
    Added Sugar
    Addiction
    Adhd
    Adolescence
    Adolescent Medicine
    Air Pollution
    Airport Scanners
    Alcohol
    Alcohol Consumption
    Alzheimer\
    Alzheimer's
    America Lags
    American College Of Lifestyle Medicine
    Anti-depressants
    Anti-inflammatory Diet
    Anti-inflammatory Diet
    Artificial Sweeteners
    Aspirin
    Attention Span
    Autism
    Avatar Course
    Beauty
    Bicycling
    Body Image
    Bpa
    Brain Injury Awareness
    Bread
    Breast Cancer Rates
    Breast Cancer Risk
    Cancer
    Cancer And Environment
    Cancer Prevention
    Cancer Prevention Fellowhship
    Cancer Rates
    Cardiovascular Disease
    Cartoons
    Cdc
    Cell Phone Use
    Change Your Life
    Chemicals
    Childhood Obesity
    Children
    Chocolate
    Chronic Disease
    City Living
    Climate Change
    Cognition
    Cold
    Colon Cancer
    Colorectal Cancer Awareness
    Consciousness
    Contaminated Water
    Corn Sugar
    Cosmetics
    Cost-savings
    Cuts
    Dairy
    David Katz
    Death
    Decreasing Cancer Rates
    Deepak Chopra
    Depression
    Diabetes
    Dietary Supplements
    Diet For Adhd
    Diet For Cancer Prevention
    Diet Soda
    Digestion
    Disease Prevention
    Distance Learning
    Dna
    Dr. Andrew Weil
    Dr. David Katz
    Dr. James Gordon
    Dr. Katz
    Dr. Landrigan
    Dr. Weil
    Dvt
    Dying
    Easy Ways To Cut Calories
    Eating
    Emerson Ecologics
    Endocrine Disruptors
    Environmental Health
    Environmental Toxins
    Environmental Working Group
    Exercise
    Fast Food
    Fda
    Fish To Avoid
    Flame Retardants
    Flu
    Folic Acid
    Food
    Food Cravings
    Fox News
    Fragranced Cleaning Supplies
    Genetics
    Gluten
    Glyphosate
    Gradual Weight Gain
    Gratitude
    Guided Meditation
    Harm To Others
    Health
    Health Policy
    Healthy Child
    Healthy New Years Resolutions
    Healthy World
    Heart Attack Risk
    Heart Failure
    Heart Health
    High Fat Diets
    High Fructose Corn Syrup
    Hot Flashes
    Houston
    Huffington Post
    Incidence
    Inflammation
    Insulin
    Integrative Medicine Fellowship
    Internet Addiction
    Internship
    In Utero
    Iq
    Lately
    Lead
    Leukemia
    Life Span
    Lifestyle Changes
    Lifestyle Medicine
    Lifestyle Modification
    Light
    Low-carb Diets
    MB-EAT
    Medical Tests
    Meditation
    Melanoma
    Menopause
    Mental Health
    Meralgia Paresthetica
    Mercury
    Mindfulness
    Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy
    Mindfulness-based Meditation
    Mmwr
    Mold
    My Happiness Project
    National Nutrition Month
    Nature
    Nci
    New Yorkers
    Nitrates
    Noise
    Nutrient-gene Interaction
    Obesity
    Omega 3
    Omega-3\\
    Overeating
    Over-eating
    Oxybenzone
    Pain
    Palliative Care
    Pap Smears
    Parabens
    Pe
    People-pleasing
    Phthalates
    Physical Activity
    Pillcam
    Pku
    Plastics
    Poison Prevention
    Pollution
    Potato Chips
    Poverty And Diabetes
    Poverty And Obesity
    Prediabetes
    President
    Preventable Deaths
    Prevention
    Prevention Of Type 2 Diabetes
    Preventive Medicine
    Primary Prevention
    Processed Foods
    Public Health
    Public Health And Prevention Fund
    Radiation
    Retinyl Paminate
    Risk Reduction
    Safer Chemicals
    Safer Products
    Self-care
    Self Love
    Sensitivity
    Sleep Hygeine
    Small Bursts Of Activity
    Smart Patients
    Sodium
    South America
    Soy
    Specificity
    Spices
    Stamford Hospital
    Statistics
    Steer
    Stilettos
    Stroke
    Stroke Risk
    Sugar
    Sunscreen
    Sustainable Wellness
    Tainted Supplements
    Thanksgiving
    The Lancet
    Tight Jean Syndrome
    Toxin
    Toxins
    Toxins In Food
    Tradition
    Turkey
    Turn The Tide Foundation
    Type 2 Diabetes
    Unnecessary Tests
    Vegetables
    VOCs
    Vulnerability
    Wasteful Spending
    Weight Gain
    Weight Gain And The Brain
    Weight Loss
    Weight Reduction
    Women
    Workplace Wellness

    RSS Feed

  • Home
  • About Dr. Maltz
  • Contact

Disclaimer:

The content of this website does not serve as medical advice nor does it substitute for a thorough medical evaluation by a qualified health care practitioner. Consult a physician or local health care provider before adding any supplements, changing any medications or diet or starting an exercise regimen.
©️ 2019 - 2022 Dr. Ashley Maltz
  • Home
  • About
  • Conditions Treated
  • Work with Me
  • Services and Fees
  • Blog
  • Contact Dr. Maltz
  • Store