If we can send people into space, why haven't we cured cancer by now?
Exploring space and landing astronauts on the moon was a huge challenge and a marvel of technology. But nothing new had to be discovered; the laws of physics and math, the techniques of space navigation, and the properties of metal and other materials were already well known. By putting enough focus and resources into the effort, the United States produced the spacecraft, computer systems, and well-trained humans needed to achieve the moon landing in 1969.
Cancer is quite different. It's not just one illness; researchers believe there are at least 100 different diseases under the "cancer" label, with different genetic traits and behaviors. What they have in common is that normal body cells escape the molecular controls that regulate their growth, then divide and multiply without restraint to form abnormal tissues called tumors.
Thanks to increasingly powerful gene and molecular techniques, scientists are making major progress in identifying "targets," or places in a malignant cell's wiring that drugs can latch onto, halting the runaway growth. But only now are researchers beginning to find targets that can be attacked with drugs, some designed specifically for them.
Instead of a single "cancer cure," it's expected that one form after another will be conquered — or at least kept under control so that patients can lead relatively normal lives for many years with their disease.
Stress causes cancer, and all you need is a positive attitude to beat it.
There's no evidence that feeling worried or troubled causes any kind of cancer, although it is a common belief. In a survey of long-term breast cancer survivors in Canada, 42 percent said they believed stress had triggered their disease. As for attitude, about 60 percent felt their positive frame of mind had helped prevent a recurrence. There's little scientific basis for this concept, either. Moreover, placing such weight on attitude can be burdensome to patients who don't do well and who blame themselves for not being sufficiently upbeat, or are disappointed their bright outlook is not working.
On the other hand, says Dana-Farber's George Canellos, MD, "a positive attitude is a great emotional aid to the patient facing cancer therapy. It certainly helps the quality of one's life to have a positive outlook while receiving treatment."
And although participating in support groups has not been shown to boost survival among women with breast cancer, notes Ann Partridge, MD, MPH, of the Institute's Breast Oncology Center, "many women have found them a source of comfort and shared experience."
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