Latin America threatened with cancer epidemic
Source: Agence France-Presse
Latin America threatened with cancer epidemic
26 Apr 2013
SAO PAULO (AFP)
Latin America faces a cancer epidemic unless governments act quickly to improve health care systems and treat the poor, scientists said.
The researchers pointed to around 13 deaths for every 22 cancer cases in the region, compared to around 13 deaths for every 37 cases in the United States and around 13 deaths for every 30 cases in Europe.
The main reason, according to the study published in the British journal The Lancet Oncology, is that too many people are diagnosed with cancer at a late stage when the disease is much harder to treat and more likely to kill.
"Researchers estimate that by 2030, 1.7 million cases of cancer will be diagnosed in Latin America and the Caribbean, with more than one million deaths from cancer predicted to occur annually," said the report launched at the Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group (LACOG) 2013 conference in Sao Paulo.
Read more: http://www.afp.com/en/news/topstories/latin-america-threatened-cancer-epidemic
Archae
(46,343 posts)Well, that new president of Venezuela said so...
You don't suppose the skyrocketing numbers of smokers might have anything to do with it? Nah...
BethanyQuartz
(193 posts)Time to curb both. Tax cigarettes and force companies in every country to clean up after themselves instead of poisoning the air, water, and soil.
a la izquierda
(11,797 posts)Now why don't you read the article and then make a substantive comment. You don't even have to read, you can just open the linky and look at the 4 year old cancer patient.
Five years ago, Mexican cities started making smoking in bars and restaurants illegal. You're aware, I assume, that other things cause cancer? Like pollution of the air, soil, and water?
Proletariatprincess
(718 posts)but the USA has been a bane to Latin America for a very long time. Smoking isn't the only cause of cancer. But industries that pollute would sure like us all to believe it is.
tblue
(16,350 posts)That was the first thing I thought of. You dump toxic poison into water and food supplies and contaminate ancient homelands and communities, and you're gonna get cancer and a lot of other bad outcomes. I can't stand what these multinationals are allowed to do to people. That's one thing I really wish Democrats would take on.
olddad56
(5,732 posts)olddots
(10,237 posts)this was the first place before the corporations got the money to ship them to China etc
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)expenditures of resources.