It is undoubtedly true that they have had huge investment in equipment and drugs to treat cancer in a way that the UK is now only beginning to do. The report also shows that, although rates have improved in skin and testicular cancer, survival from highly fatal cancers such as lung and pancreas have shown little change in 30 years. But health professionals say that a lot is now being done to prevent and cure cancer with some success. Dr Peter Sasieni, head of mathematics and statistics at Imperial Cancer Research Fund, said that the last decade saw a 15 per cent fall in cancer death rates. The overall effect is that some 23,000 fewer people died of cancer in 1999 than would have at the 1989 rates.
Life expectancy is longer than it has ever been.
But one shouldn't be complacent - don't start smoking and stop if you do smoke. Diet is also important - there is a lot of evidence of the benefits of eating fruit and vegetables. If people are worried they should seek medical help. The message is also that cancer is not a killer any more. Treatment can extend life for many years.