The incurable disease has passed
In the past, it was said that “cancer cannot be cured, and those who are cured are not necessarily cured of cancer” and “cancer is a terminal illness.” However, medicine is constantly advancing, and it is now accurate to say that cancer is preventable and treatable, with more and more people being cured. In 1981, the World Health Organization’s Advisory Committee explicitly proposed that 1/3 of cancers are preventable, 1/3 of cancers can be cured if detected and diagnosed early, and the remaining 1/3 of cancer patients can have their suffering alleviated and life expectancy extended through treatment.
It is already the 21st century, and there have been many advances in scientific and technological levels for treating cancer compared to 1981. The proportion of cancer patients who can be cured has exceeded one-third. In anti-cancer communities and clubs in large cities, regular participants, known as anti-cancer stars, have lived and worked for more than 20 or 30 years after treatment. They sing, climb mountains, work, socialize, and have no significant differences from before they had cancer. In May 1998, medical personnel from Beijing visited the people of Linzhou City, Henan Province, and conducted a reunion for local medical personnel and nearby esophageal cancer patients in Yao Village, Linzhou.
The survival rate has increased
More than 10 patients attending the reunion had lived and worked for 15 to 20 years after treatment. The Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences collected data on all patients treated at the hospital, including those in the early, middle, and late stages, as well as surgical, internal medicine, gynecology, and radiation oncology departments. The statistics showed that the 5-year survival rate after treatment in the 1960s was 35.9%, 42% in the 1970s, 52.8% in the 1980s, and better in the 1990s.
Various high-incidence cancer areas in China have discovered many early-stage cancer patients through preliminary screening. After receiving regular treatment, their 5-year survival rate is relatively high. For example, the 5-year survival rate for gastric cancer is 90%, 90-95% for esophageal cancer, 80% for lung cancer, 70% for liver cancer, and 68% for a group of colon cancer without lymph node metastasis. The 5-year survival rate for early-stage breast cancer is 85-90%.
The gradual improvement of cancer treatment outcomes is attributed to factors such as the accumulation of physician experience, technological advancements, improved diagnostic and treatment equipment, the use of new cancer drugs, planned comprehensive treatment carried out locally, and the good cooperation of cancer patients.
New progress in cancer treatment
At present, there have been new advancements in cancer treatment. In recent years, several new anti-cancer drugs have entered clinical trials, and biological and genetic therapies have achieved certain success in clinical practice, making tumor internal medicine treatment more diverse and colorful. There has also been accumulated experience in adjuvant chemotherapy.
Tumors that can achieve radical cure through tumor internal medicine treatment and comprehensive therapy (cure rate reaching 30% to 85%) include lymphoma, testicular tumors, trophoblastic tumors, pediatric neuroblastoma, and acute leukemia; the application of chemotherapy after surgery for breast cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, and soft tissue tumors can improve the cure rate to a certain extent. For some advanced tumors such as lung cancer, gastric cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, and head and neck cancer, survival rates can be significantly prolonged.
It can be concluded that the cure rate of cancer is gradually increasing, and more and more cancer patients are being cured. Patients with cancer should not be afraid but accept regular treatment. For those who are not diagnosed with cancer, it is important to prevent cancer, such as quitting bad habits, maintaining a balanced diet, exercising appropriately, emphasizing mental health, maintaining normal emotions, and preventing indoor and outdoor environmental pollution.
