Cancer Statistics

Cancer Statistics 

 Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the US with heart disease being the number one cause.  In 2020 alone, there were  1,603,844 new cancer cases in the United States and 602.347 people died of cancer.     This translates to 1 in every 5 deaths is due to cancer.   It is important to keep in mind that the number of new cases of cancer may actually be higher but fewer people were diagnosed due to the pandemic and lack of access to healthcare that year.  We do not yet have the 2021 or 2022 numbers.  

The three types of cancer that kill the most people each year are lung cancer followed by breast then prostate.  The most number of new cancer cases are caused by breast followed by prostate followed by lung cancer.  The three most common cancers in men are prostate, lung and colorectal.  These three cancers account for 43% of all new diagnoses in men,  The three most common cancers in women are breast, lung and colorectal.   More men die from cancer than women each year.  

There is some good news- the annual rate of cancer related deaths has been decreasing in the United States- the rate has decreased 33% in the past 30 years. This is largely due to preventive measures- such as quitting smoking and increasing exercise, routine screening tests such as mammograms and colonoscopies, and early diagnosis and treatment.  

If you find yourself to be one of the 1,603,844 + million people diagnosed with cancer this year know that you are not alone. Email me, Alex Kile, at alexandra.kile@yourguidetocancer.com for help with your next steps.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, June 8). Cancer Data and statistics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/data/index.htm 

Cancer statistics. National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/statistics 

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2023, February 6). As cancer deaths decline, access to care remains a challenge in some communities - mayo clinic news network. Mayo Clinic. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/as-cancer-deaths-decline-access-to-care-r

So What is Cancer?

 Cancer is a disease that occurs when cells divide and grow abnormally. Healthy cells need certain triggers to divide and multiply and when they get old or are damaged these cells die. Healthy cells do not invade other parts of the body. But cancer cells continue to divide without needing signals from the body and do not die when they are old/abnormal.  This excessive growth causes them to invade surrounding tissue and this can cause issues with normal bodily functions.

Cancer occurs when there are changes to the genes that tell your cells how to divide and grow. Damage to these genes typically happens in one of three ways-while the cell is dividing, when DNA is damaged from toxic substances, inherited from parents. Normally, our bodies can tell when a cell’s genes have been damaged and eliminate that cell but as we age our bodies ability to do this declines.

1 in 3 people will get cancer in their lifetime but there are more treatments than ever before and MANY people continue on to live healthy and happy lives while and after they have been treated. Please reach out to me if you or your family member is struggling with this diagnosis.

“What Is Cancer?” National Cancer Institute, https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer. 

“What Is Cancer?: Cancer Basics.” American Cancer Society, https://www.cancer.org/treatment/understanding-your-diagnosis/what-is-cancer.html. 

Importance of Exercise in Cancer Care

Studies have shown that adding exercise to your care plan can greatly improve outcomes including improving overall survival rates.  Physical activity has been shown to reduce cancer related fatigue , depression, brain fog aka chemo brain, muscle weakness,  and enhance quality of life.  Adding exercise to your care plan improves the body’s immune response and decreases inflammation. Exercise can increase the effectiveness of anticancer treatments such as targeted therapy, immunotherapy and radiotherapy.  

Exercise also helps reduce other cancer related symptoms/ treatment side effects such as constipation and thromboembolisms or blood clots that can be life threatening.  

It is recommended that physical activity should be a part of every cancer patient’s treatment plan.  Physical activity should not be a one size fits all approach and exercise regimens should be catered to each person’s individual needs and abilities.  You can ask your doctor to prescribe physical therapy as part of your treatment plan.  

Chemotherapy Induced Nausea and Vomiting

Two of the most common and taxing side effects of chemotherapy are nausea and vomiting.  Approximately  70-80%  of people suffer from nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy. In the medical field, this is known as CINV or chemotherapy induced nausea/vomiting. There are five categories of CINV’s: acute, delayed, anticipatory, breakthrough and refractory.   Acute CINV is nausea and vomiting that occurs in the first 24 hours after the chemotherapy treatment.  Delayed occurs 24 hours to five days after chemo.  Anticipatory CINV  occurs in patients who have experienced CINV with prior chemotherapy treatments. The nausea and/or vomiting can be triggered by the thought of chemo, a certain smell, sound or taste that reminds the person of their prior CINV experience and takes place before a treatment of chemo.  Breakthrough CINV occurs within 5 days of chemo in patients who are taking their prescribed nausea and vomiting regimen but are still experiencing nausea and/or vomiting.  Refractory CINV occurs in people that have had prior chemo treatments and are taking their prescribed prophylactic nausea and vomiting medications and yet still experience these symptoms.  

There are certain risk factors that increase a person’s chance of CINV.  Some of these risk factors are inherent and can not be altered.  These non-modifiable risk factors include being under the age of 50, female, having a prior history of morning sickness, motion sickness or nausea in a prior round of chemo or having surgery in the past three months.  The modifiable risk factors include current pain, constipation, not eating or sleeping well before your treatment, and having the expectation that you will have nausea.  There are many things that you can do to help prevent and treat CINV.  If you would like some advice on how to alleviate these awful side effects reach out to me at alexandra.kile@yourguidetocancer.com.