If you’re assuming that all of the cancer research and medical advancements over the past several years means a cure and/or successful treatment is on the horizon, well….
The American Cancer Society says their projections say something entirely different.
In fact, they foresee diagnoses and deaths increasing by a lot over the next 30+ years.
They’re getting these numbers from a study published in their journal Cancer, in which researchers projected cases would increase by 84% and deaths by 93% by 2050.
The estimations include the worldwide population, with most of the researchers involved from Australia, Ethiopia, and Hong Kong.
They analyzed more than 30 kinds of cancer in 185 countries, concluding that while cancer cases will rise among all populations, men’s reticence to get screenings, along with their biological differences, mean their numbers will rise faster.
Older men, and men who live in underdeveloped countries, fared the worst in the projections.
Those percentages add up to almost 9 million more cases, and more than double the current deaths by 2050.
The authors hope this stark reality will force doctors, policymakers, and researchers to step up their game.
“A national and international collaboration, as well as a coordinated multisectoral approach, are essential to improve current cancer outcomes and to reverse the anticipated rise in cancer burden by 2050.”
In the meantime, they hope people will be vigilant about cancer screenings and prevention – especially men over 65.
We all have to do our part.
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