Editorials
Monday, November 18, 1996
The war on cancer
is beginning to pay off
CANCER is still a dreaded diagnosis, but there is evidence that the overall death rate from cancer in the United States has started to decline. This encouraging news should spur further efforts in research, detection and treatment as well as education in ways to protect one's self against cancer.
Research indicates that the age-adjusted cancer death rate declined 3.1 percent since 1990. This appears to be the first sustained fall since scientists began keeping records and is considered very significant. The decline amounts to about 16,000 lives saved this year that would have been lost in 1990.
Moreover, this may be the beginning of a trend. John Seffrin, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society, said if the current momentum continues, there could be a 25 percent decrease in the cancer death rate over the next 20 years - an enormous improvement.
This is so even though the actual death rate continues to rise. Health statistics are usually adjusted to combine the rates from different age groups. Because cancer is a disease of old age, the actual number of cancer victims can be expected to rise as the population ages - but not as much. And there's hope that number will also begin to decline in a few years.
The significance of the latest figures may be judged by the fact that the death rate from cancer has been growing consistently throughout the century. In 1900, about 4 percent of all deaths in the United States were caused by cancer. By 1970, cancer caused 17 percent of all deaths. In 1990 it was 24 percent, with the mortality rate at 135 per 100,000. Since then the proportion of deaths caused by cancer has stabilized at 23 percent and the mortality rate has fallen to 129.8 per 100,000.
Most of the drop in the death rate has been attributed to declines in lung, colorectal and prostate cancer deaths in men, and in breast, colorectal and gynecologic cancer deaths in women. In addition to declines in smoking, the improvement is credited to improved detection and treatment.
It seems clear that the war on cancer is paying dividends, that progress in prevention, detection and treatment is starting to pay off. For millions of people, this means longer and richer lives.
Great Smokeout
IT'S time for the Great American Smokeout, the American Cancer Society's annual event encouraging smokers to quit for the day. The society is passing out "Stop Smoking Survival Kits" in preparation for the big day Thursday. Those who pledge to quit smoking or to adopt a smoker get a chance to win prizes, but the biggest prize of all is a new lease on life.
Electric vehicles
THE search for alternatives to the gasoline-powered automobile has taken a giant step with General Motors' unveiling of its first electric vehicle, to be marketed initially in smoggy Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and Tucson. GM spent $350 million and more than six years to develop the two-passenger coupe. While other automakers are selling electrically powered vehicles, GM says its EV1 is the first vehicle to be designed from the ground up as an electric car.
The great advantage, of course, is that the electric car emits no polluting exhaust fumes. But that will not be enough to win widespread acceptance unless its performance is improved.
The Stone of Scone
IN the category it's never too late to make amends: After 700 years, the Stone of Scone, an ancient symbol of sovereignty stolen by an English king, has been returned to Scotland.
Prime Minister John Major announced the return of the stone earlier this year. However, the government said the stone will be brought back to take its place in Westminster Abbey under the coronation chair at future coronations. In other words, the English are still running things.
Published by Liberty Newspapers Limited Partnership
Rupert E. Phillips, CEO
John M. Flanagan, Editor & Publisher
David Shapiro, Managing Editor
Diane Yukihiro Chang, Senior Editor & Editorial Page Editor
Frank Bridgewater & Michael Rovner, Assistant Managing Editors
A.A. Smyser, Contributing Editor