Cancer in 2018: What Is Being Done To Beat This Disease Once & For All?
It is estimated that in 2018, there will be 1,735,350 cases of cancer in the US. Out of these new cases, 856,370 will occur in males and 878,980 will occur in females. For men, the cancer with the highest risk is prostate cancer at 19%, while for women, breast cancer is the highest risk cancer at 30%. While cancer rates in the US are at an all time low, cancer is still a serious health concerns for the entire population.
There is light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to cancer though, as every day more research is done into beating this awful disease. In 2017, billions of dollars were raised to help combat cancer, and 2018 is set to be even better. Today, thanks to advancements in treatments, people are living longer with cancer, which is amazing. Research has shown that there are thousands of people who were diagnosed with stage 4 (terminal cancer) and are still living years on, and all because of the high quality levels of care that they are receiving.
Bearing that in mind, below we are going to look at cancer in 2018 and what’s being done to beat the disease once and for all?
People are living longer
Today, people who have cancer are living longer, much longer than they used to live. That’s all down to the fact that treatments have vastly improved, which means that if they aren’t beating the disease completely, more people are able to live longer with it. Some people living with terminal cancer are able to live for up to 10 years, and that’s all thanks to the fact that treatments are improving all the time. Just 50 years ago, the treatments for cancer were severely lacking compared to today, and the outlook for people with cancer was a very sad one.
However, things have changed significantly in the past few decades, with some incredible advancements being made. Of course, it’s not just down to medical advancements that people are living longer, it’s also down to the internet and how much easier it makes it to research. For instance, many people living with cancer have chosen to undertake a vegan diet, which studies have shown can help to make managing cancer easier. Using cannabis oil is another method that many people living with cancer use to help increase the length of their life, as various studies have shown that this oil can be hugely beneficial to managing cancer and its associated symptoms.
Research is thriving
Then there’s the fact that when it comes to beating cancer, research really is thriving. Thanks to the likes of Poseida Therapeutics Inc., research into cancer is doing better than ever before. These clinics are looking at cancers in all different ways, testing out different ways of beating them, running studies, and doing everything that can be done to find cures for this disease. Today, there’s more money put into funding cancer research than ever before, which is why new treatments and cures for cancer are being announced all the time.
While 50 years ago there was just one or two treatments that could be used for treat cancer, there are now multiple treatments available. Not all treatments are available everywhere, but across the world there are thousands of options for treating cancer, many of which are highly successful. Research is thriving, which means that soon enough a cure for cancer should be found - hopefully a cure that’s as effective as antibiotics for treating infections - there’s no guarantees of course, but that’s the dream - to find a cure for cancer.
Funds are being raised
Today, fundraising for cancer is at an all time high. More people are taking steps to fundraise for cancer than ever before. This is partly due to the fact that cancer is becoming increasingly common but also because there has been a raise in cancer awareness days, weeks and months, which has encouraged people to fundraise for different cancers throughout the year. There’s also a lot more marketing for fundraising, which encourages people to help others and fundraise. There are various packs available to make fundraising easier, which may have contributed to the number of people who are choosing to fundraise each year.
Another factor that may be part of why fundraising efforts have increased significantly over the past few years is because there are so many different ways that you can fundraise. Gone are the days when it was just sport that could be used to fundraise, such as taking part in swimathons and fun runs. Today, there are so many other ways that you can fundraise, from taking part in Stoptober - stopping smoking in October - going sugar-free for February, to going Vegan in January and doing Dechox in March, there are so many different ways that you can fundraise. You can literally give up anything, from a certain food to a hobby like gaming, for a month and use it to fundraise. There are so many ways to fundraise today, which means that more and more people are choosing to get involved and take steps to help beat cancer.
In 2018, cancer is still an incredibly prevalent disease that doesn't discriminate against the people it affects. While more common in older adults, childhood and teenage cancers are still a common problem. Although cancer rates are still high, it’s clear that things are changing. There are more tests to spot cancer at an earlier stage or prevent it from developing entirely. Research is becoming more and more impressive - every year we are learning more about cancer than the year before. We’re understanding more about how our lifestyle choices impact our health, and what steps we can take to reduce the impact that our lifestyle is having on our health. Fundraising has increased massively over the past few years, with more and more people choosing to help fundraise for cancer research, which has meant that the treatments on offer are improving all the time, and all thanks to an increase in research.