(00:00:00) It is six minutes now past 11 o'clock. And good morning. Welcome to midday on Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Gary eichten glad you could join us government had some pretty good news for Americans this week researchers reported this week in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute that the overall death rate for cancer declined in the United States by 1.1 percent from 1992 to 1998. Overall number of cancer cases also declined during that period this in Fairly dramatic contrast to the preceding 20 years when cancer rates were increasing now, of course contained within that overall figure there is a mixture of some good news and not so good news joining us today to help us understand what these numbers tell us about cancer rates in the United States is Stephen heck who is the wall and professor of cancer prevention at the University of Minnesota Cancer Center. We also invite you to join our conversation. We're talking this out. About the reported decline in cancer rates in America. And if you have a question or comment give us a call here, six five one two, two seven six thousand. That's our Twin City area number 6512276 thousand outside the Twin Cities. You can reach us toll-free and that number is 1-800-222-8477 6,000 or 1-800 to for to to 828 Professor heck thanks for joining us this morning. Nice to be here fair to say that this is good news. (00:01:43) This is great news sure. It continues a trend that's been noted recently and reverses the trend as you mentioned that had occurred starting in 70s and the driving force for this there really to one is decreased. Tobacco use that began in this country to decline in the 60s and the other is methods of early (00:02:13) detection now the study runs as I understand it through 1998. Is there any reason to believe that this trend is not continuing? (00:02:25) No, I think that there's there's reason to believe that it is continuing and it will continue because Of these two major driving forces that I mentioned tobacco and screening. We know that a tobacco prevalence has dropped in this country. And if you look at the tobacco prevalence curve from the 60s through 2000, you can almost predict that the cancer rate will decrease as the cancer death rate will decrease as the tobacco prevalence curve decreased. We know for example for lung cancer in both men and women that the lung cancer death rates follow the tobacco use prevalence rate by about 20 years. So it's really it's good news, but I don't think it's that surprising and the other thing is that the early detection methods have continued to improve and and their availability has continued to improve and and that has also made a significant (00:03:42) contribution. Now as I understand it Minnesota has a somewhat lower cancer eight and I would assume from what you've said, then that that's largely because we have fewer older people who still smoke (00:03:57) Well, I'm not sure about that. But that could be part of it (00:04:03) nationally death rates were up for only two types of cancer female lung cancer and Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma what explains the increase in death rates and those for those two types of cancer? (00:04:18) Well, the female lung cancer rate is up because the female smoking prevalence curve is different from the male smoking prevalence curve the the female smoking prevalence curve began increasing in the 60s and then just kind of leveled off. And the female lung cancer death rate is following that by you know, 20 to 30 years. So I think that the female lung cancer death rate is predicted by the female lung cancer the female smoking prevalence curve and that ultimately will turn down any any other Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma is more difficult because we don't really know the cause of non-hodgkin lymphoma in this paper. They speculate about exposure to environmental chemicals, perhaps to pesticides There's some evidence there, but it's not as strong as we have for example smoking and lung cancer. (00:05:33) We're talking about cancer rates in America a new report out from the government this week. Stephen Hecht who is the wall and professor of cancer prevention at the U of M's Cancer Center has joined us. And again, we invite you to join our conversation. If you have a question about cancer and cancer related questions, give us a call here at 6512276 thousand 6512276 thousand outside the Twin Cities 1-800 to for to to 8286512276 thousand or 1-800 to for 22828 breast cancer rates were up between from nineteen. Ninety two, ninety eight as compared to previous times is that just the result that of better screening better detection or has there actually been an increase in the number of people who get breast cancer. (00:06:24) Well, it's probably We a result mainly of better screening and detection they noted in this paper that that appeared to be driving the increase, but there's also a link that's not hard and fast but there are some pretty good epidemiologic data that indicates a relationship between obesity and breast cancer and obesity in this country has been on the increase so that could contribute but the main contributing factor is probably the screening improved availability of screening and the increasing use of (00:07:10) screening breast cancer deaths are down. I suppose that I suppose that's because of the early (00:07:17) detection. That's also because of the early detection because breast cancer unlike lung cancer breast cancer is Much more readily treated, you know, five year survival rates for breast cancer are far better than lung cancer. And and the key would with both of these is early detection of breast cancer is easier to detect early and lung (00:07:44) cancer prostate cancer down sharply. Apparently 33% What's that all about well, (00:07:58) Part of the sharp increase in prostate cancer that was noted several years ago is probably due to the PSA test. So we're which is a screening test and this detected a lot of prostate cancers that otherwise would not have been detected. So probably the the increase that occurred then was due to the availability of that test and that now that's kind of leveling (00:08:28) out. So not necessarily all of a sudden people are (00:08:33) fewer people, you know process. Oh, I don't think (00:08:35) so James on the line with a question for Professor heck go ahead Jane. Hi. My question is what are they doing to try to educate the general (00:08:48) public your Physicians and Radiologists about some of the more rare. Terms of breast cancer. I have inflammatory breast cancer and in till I read a one little paragraph in. Dr. Susan loves breasts book. I'd never heard of it and I diagnosed myself six months after everybody kept telling me that you know, I was I was fine. (00:09:15) And so many people most of the people that I have talked to nobody knows that there are different kinds of breast cancer and that there are some rare (00:09:21) ones. So what can we do to educate the public and the (00:09:27) Physicians that are about this I'll hang up and wait for your answer. Thank you. All right. Thanks for the call. Yeah. (00:09:33) Well, there's some there's some good Educational Tools available now and I would recommend going to the National Cancer Institute or the American Cancer Society websites. These websites have huge amount of information and they have links to specialized information. You could also try the University of Minnesota Cancer Center website. So the the internet really now provides huge amounts of information and resources and connections to allow you to educate yourself about (00:10:13) cancer. Does it pay off for people to spend time researching their disease and and researching treatments and so on or should (00:10:24) absolutely so they should be they should become educated shouldn't pay off you want to understand the disease you want to ask the right questions. You want to get the right opinions and you need to understand it and and the information is out (00:10:40) there. So maybe I shouldn't assume their doctor knows everything. Joe are your question, please? (00:10:48) Yes, I'm a nutritionist and I'm wondering if there's any study or any evidence that you have that shows the correlation in the reduction in breast feeding over the last 50 years to potential high or not even potential to higher rates of cancer among women their studies that I have read show that if you do breastfeed for a cumulative 24 months total that your reduction in breast cancer rates are somewhere between 30 and 40% and I'm wondering if this if he has any research or could address that issue. That's a very interesting question and I can't point you right now to any particular study on that. It's not considered to be one of the major protective factors as far as I know but that's a very interesting question and there very well may be a connection (00:11:47) there any tips for folks so often especially if you follow just in the popular press there are stories about cancer causes cancer prevention cancer diet. So you see them everyday Burke virtually any way to sort the wheat from the chaff on on on those (00:12:05) stories. Well, the you know, the big one is tobacco avoid tobacco in any form. Tobacco causes thirty percent of all cancer death now when you look at diet nutrition and cancer It gets a little bit more complicated with respect to colon cancer, which is one of the major ones. There's fairly good evidence. Now that red meat particularly. Well done red meat does play some role in the risk for colon cancer. So that's something to not necessarily to avoid completely but to use in moderation or to minimize in your diet with respect to breast cancer. It's a little less clear. There was the hypothesis that a high-fat diet is Increase risk for breast cancer, but that has not been borne out. There there. Now a large number of epidemiologic studies that indicate that a high-fat diet is not a risk factor for breast cancer. I think there's still the feeling in the epidemiologic community that diet and breast cancer connected in some way. but it's not quite clear what that way is weight gain during adolescence has been Discussed and also the role of obesity that I mentioned earlier these these could be risk factors alcohol consumption is also moderate alcohol consumption is also a risk factor for breast cancer. So the I think the overall diet and cancer picture is not completely clear but in general, I think there there are two things to consider one is that the National Cancer institute's five a day program five vegetables per day. We know that there are protective factors and vegetables against cancer. So the increased consumption of plant based foods It's likely to be protective against cancer in general. And the other is moderation moderation and calorie intake moderation in the intake of specific types of food. (00:14:42) We're talking about cancer rates in America. A new study was out was out this week or released by the government published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, which indicates that overall the rate of cancer rates in America has to have declined at least they did from 1992 to 1998 when compared with previous periods. Good news given the fact that rates have been going up Lo these many years Steven hacked is with us. He is the wall and professor of cancer prevention at the University of Minnesota Cancer Center. He's joined us this hour to try to put some give us some perspective on those numbers what they mean and take your questions if you'd like to join our conversations 6512276 thousand or 1-800 to for 228286512276 thousand or 1. And with two 422828 as I understand it cancer rates for men overall. We're down about 2.7 percent women were up a fraction point three percent. Is that purely because of the the smoking among women. (00:15:51) Well, the incidence rates would also be affected by breast cancer detection. Oh, okay. (00:15:59) So that would explain that racial differences. Are there any and if there are why (00:16:05) well, there are racial differences for several different cancers blacks have higher death rate for lung cancer. They have a (00:16:19) higher. (00:16:33) Little bit more complicated with respect to colon cancer, which is one of the major ones. There's fairly good evidence. Now that red meat particularly. Well done red meat does play some role in the risk for colon cancer. So that's something to not necessarily to avoid completely but to use in moderation or to minimize in your diet with respect to breast cancer. It's a little less clear. There was the hypothesis that a high-fat diet is Increase risk for breast cancer, but that has not been borne out. There there. Now a large number of epidemiologic studies that indicate that a high-fat diet is not a risk factor for breast cancer. I think there's still the feeling in the epidemiologic community that diet and breast cancer connected in some way. but it's not quite clear what that way is weight gain during adolescence has been Discussed and also the role of obesity that I mentioned earlier these these could be risk factors alcohol consumption is also moderate alcohol consumption is also a risk factor for breast cancer. So the I think the overall diet and cancer picture is not completely clear but in general, I think there there are two things to consider one is that the National Cancer institute's five a day program five vegetables per day. We know that there are protective factors and vegetables against cancer. So the increased consumption of plant based foods It's likely to be protective against cancer in general. And the other is moderation moderation and calorie intake moderation in the intake of specific types of food. (00:18:55) We're talking about cancer rates in America a new study was out was out this week or released by the government published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, which indicates that overall the rate of cancer rates in America has to have declined at least they did from 1992 to 1998 when compared with previous periods. Good news given the fact that rates have been going up Lo these many years Steven hacked is with us. He is the wall and professor of cancer prevention at the University of Minnesota Cancer Center. He's joined us this hour to try to put some give us some perspective on those numbers what they mean and take your questions if you'd like to join our conversations 6512276 thousand or one eight hundred two, four two two eight 286512276 thousand or one Edward 2422828 as I understand it cancer rates for men overall. We're down about 2.7 percent women were up a fraction point three percent. Is that purely because of the the smoking among women. (00:20:05) Well, the incidence rates would also be affected by breast cancer detection. Okay. (00:20:13) So that would explain that right racial differences. Are there any and if there are why (00:20:18) well, there are racial differences for several different cancers blacks have higher death rate for lung cancer. They have a higher death rate for prostate cancer and cancer of the esophagus and these differences are not they're not very well understood there have been various theories discussed such as ethnic differences in the response to carcinogens. Some people think that there may be socioeconomic factors involved in terms of screening and detection and care. So their number of factors that could enter in it's fairly complicated, but there are differences in Both incidents and death (00:21:15) rates Robert your question, please. Yes. I have a question (00:21:20) about risk. I'm 72. I quit smoking after 40 Years of heavy smoking at 59 wondering how sooner if my risk of lung cancer will ever approach that of a nonsmoker and secondly I had adenomatous polyps removed from my colon at 60 eclair colonoscopy at 65. When is the next colonoscopy advised? Thank you. Well the colonoscopy you should take up with your physician, but normally I think it's about every three years the smoking. Risk does decrease with time after cessation of smoking it takes about 20 years after cessation for your risk to get down almost to that of a lifetime nonsmoker and never unfortunately reaches fully that of a nonsmoker but it does but it does come close and it does increase it does decrease significantly with time. So you stopped about 13 years ago. I think you're well on your way to having a Risk, that is only close to that of a never (00:22:36) smoker Judith your question, please. (00:22:39) Hi. My name is Judas and I'm 25 and I was just diagnosed with the early stages of cervical cancer. And so I started to research and the research stated that those cancer rates are actually on the rise because of the the early beginning of sexual relations in women, is that so and what what is what is the current research on that? How how preventable is it? And I'll take my pants off the air. Thank you. Cervical cancer is another case where early detection has. Had a huge impact because of the Pap test as far as the role of sexual practices and cervical cancer there. There have been studies about that. I don't think it's absolutely hard and fast as to the role of Early sexual intercourse there have been studies indicating that it might be related to multiple partners suppose that's possible. But I don't think that these data are all that (00:23:56) strong. Is there any way to for the layperson to assess the the relative quality of the research that's being done in any of these areas short of me clearly people have linked smoking to lung cancer, but beyond that, you know, you say you were talking earlier about well diet might play some role. We're not entirely sure and this and that and the other thing anyway for the layperson to assess the relative value of the of these pieces of research. (00:24:29) Well again, I would advise going to the websites of the National Cancer Institute or the University of Minnesota Cancer Center or the American Cancer Society these Lights will link you to the key studies in these various areas and it's even possible now with Communications as they are to directly contact the researchers that are working in this area. For example your question about cervical cancer. You should really talk to an epidemiologist who is studying cervical cancer. Okay, because they think about this every day and those links are available through these websites. (00:25:17) Okay, Vicky your question hi say in the paper today. Someone had written in Landers saying his wife had found a breast cancer through a mammogram and the doctor recommended an ultrasound and two more. Tumors were found. Is there a push to have an ultrasound may be replaced the mammogram as a standard for finding breast lumps. (00:25:40) I'm not aware that there's a push to have ultrasound replace a mammogram, but that's a little bit outside of my area of expertise. I'm not aware of that that is the (00:25:55) case in general. Do you know sir? Do insurance companies pay for all the latest screening devices? No matter your age or are there fairly rigid guidelines in terms of when when coverage is provided for oh mammograms or what have you (00:26:15) they don't pay for all them? I'm not sure. I'm not sure about mammograms. I know the prick sample. They don't pay for a colonoscopies. I think your statement about a rigid guidelines is probably (00:26:34) accurate Michael your question. Hi, my wife has a (00:26:40) brain tumor and I have not seen anything about brain tumors with respect to this new report. What do you know about what's been going on with brain tumors the last several years. Thanks. Well I think brain tumors are are pretty level. There was some indication of several years ago that there were increasing but I don't know that that's panned out. In terms of what causes them. The bottom line is that we really don't know and you know, that's an area where we were more. Research is needed. There's no clear link between any particular environmental or genetic factor and brain (00:27:36) tumors. Is there any evidence indication as to whether or not the mortality rate from brain? Tumors is increased is that stabilized as well? (00:27:47) As far as I know that's fairly stable, but I'm not really sure of that. (00:27:54) Thanks. We're talking this our about cancer rates here in the United States a new report out from the government this week published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute indicating that overall rates for cancer declined in the United States by 1.1 percent from 1992 to 1998. That doesn't sound like much but those rates have been going up for 20 years and so a fairly dramatic turnaround Steven Hecht is with us wall and professor of cancer prevention at the University of Minnesota Cancer Center or to talk about the the latest. Is it if you'd like to join our conversation again, 6512276 thousand or 1-800 to for 22828. We get two more of your questions here in a couple of minutes. On a June night in 1920 thousands of people stormed the Duluth Police Station pulled three black men from their cells hang them from a downtown street light and took a picture for decades afterwards Duluth tried to forget that night but times have changed and now the city is paying tribute to the victims later today tune in for a special Minnesota Public Radio report postcard from lynching at noon on midday and 5:30 on all things considered. Well, I'm jamming on Minnesota Public Radio is supported by the luxury lifestyle home tour showcasing 16 custom-built million-dollar homes weekends, June 8th 15th, and the 22nd tickets at London. Byerly's UPS jumped the gun there we should know it to over the noon hour today. Not only will we have that special report. You'll have an opportunity to join a conversation about that lynching as well. As a sort of public radio is counting down to its fiscal year in fiscal year end goal and we hope we can count on you like to thank you in advance Greta Cunningham joins us now with some headlines. Thanks, Gary and good morning. Timothy mcveigh's lawyers are keeping his case alive. They filed an appeal of a federal judge's ruling yesterday rejecting the convicted Oklahoma City bombers request to delay his Monday execution mcveigh's attorney says, all the defense team is asking for is more time to review thousands of pages of recently released FBI documents. He says judge Richard mates used the wrong legal standards in refusing to block mcveigh's execution. Argentine media are reporting the country's former president. Carlos menem is been arrested. He suspected of heading any legal group that sold some 6,500 tons of weapons to Croatia and Ecuador between 1991 and 1995 President Bush has cleared the way for millions of tax refunds. He signed into law a 1.30 five trillion dollar tax cut at a White House ceremony for says tax relief has gone from being a political impossibility to becoming a reality a group trying to postpone construction of a World War II Memorial on the National Mall has The court did a federal judge has ruled construction plans can go ahead rejecting a request for a temporary restraining order the group opposes the design and placement of the memorial Jennifer Capriati has moved into her second straight glint Grand Slam final the Australian Open champ advance to the French Open final with a 6-4. 6-3 win over top seed Martina Hingis Capriati also beat Hingis in the Australian Open. Final Capriati meets Kim. Kleist rose on Saturdays title. Match Cloisters becomes the first Belgian to reach a grand slam Final in Regional news black community leaders are urging Governor Ventura to veto and agreement on racial profiling they say no bill would be better than the current proposal which doesn't require Statewide collection of data on traffic stops the forecast for Minnesota calls for partly cloudy skies in the west. Mostly cloudy in the East today with high temperatures ranging from 68 degrees in the north east to near 78 in the southwest at this hour Rochester reports partly sunny skies and 65 degrees is Partly sunny and st. Cloud and 63. It's cloudy and Duluth and 62 and in the Twin Cities partly sunny skies with a temperature of 64 Gary. That's a look at the latest news. All right. Thanks Greta 26 minutes before twelve o'clock. This is midday on Minnesota Public Radio in this hour. We are talking about cancer rates in America a new report from the government indicates that the rate of cancer and cancer deaths declined from 1992 to 1998 reversing a long Trend when those rates were increasing a couple of folks from the University of Minnesota have joined us this half hour to talk about the meaning of those numbers and also take your question. Stephen heck is with us while in professor of cancer prevention at the University Minnesota Cancer Center also joining us. Dr. Ed degree know is director of the oncology center at the University of Minnesota. Thanks so much for joining us. Dr. Greene. Oh, let me ask you a quick question here before we get back to our callers. Were you surprised? Pleasantly surprised at this report. (00:32:40) I certainly was pleased at the report that the cancer is going down. And I don't think I was too surprised. They think given the reduced incidence of smoking in particular that I think it was time to start seeing some of these cancer rates go (00:32:57) down if I can you can you give us an estimate if everybody tomorrow. Stop smoking. What would the would there be a huge drop in cancer rates in America or would people's just simply get other kinds of (00:33:11) cancer? Oh, no, I think they're pretty clearly would be a large drop. It's estimated that about a third of cancers are smoking related and I think you know over the course of 10 or 15 years after people. Stop smoking. We would we would see that dramatic of a drop and the incidence of cancer in this country. (00:33:30) Let's go to our callers here and David's on the line with a question David. Go ahead, please. (00:33:36) Okay, my question is Clear related to chewing tobacco in the cancer incident rate and what types of detection devices are available. Chewing tobacco well chewing tobacco is a cause of oral cancer. And that's the major cancer that is associated with the use of chewing tobacco or a spit tobacco. So that's certainly something to be (00:34:02) avoided. Okay. Let's see Kevin's on the line with a question. Go ahead Kevin. (00:34:09) Yes, good afternoon. My mother passed away about two and a half weeks ago from lung cancer that was unrelated to smoking. She had actually been a smoker for many years and quit in 1987 was diagnosed with lung cancer and cured and then a year ago diagnosed with a different type style of lung cancer and also cured but then it metastasized and she passed away. My question is is there a incidence of non smoking related cancers in for long for both men and women is that also on the rise and I'll take mine. Throughout the area. Thank you. Thanks Kevin. Yeah, this is dr. Greene are certainly are some lung cancers that are not related to smoking and if you look at all lung cancers, perhaps 10 or 15% of them occur in patients who have never smoked some of those may be related to secondhand smoke exposure, but there certainly are other causes. I'm not aware of their being much of a change in the non smoking-related cancers (00:35:13) Cancer Treatments clearly have I well I'm not so is that one of the reasons that the mortality rate has declined over time? (00:35:23) I think it's certainly his some to that Gary that answers my question. (00:35:44) - but we shouldn't we sure appreciate your joining us today. Thank you so much for for your contribution. You're welcome. Okay, dr. Ed green 0 who is the director of the oncology center at the University of Minnesota Professor Stephen heck still with us wall and professor of cancer prevention at the University of Minnesota Cancer Center as we're talking about cancer rates this hour and Steven heck what is your sense of mean in terms of the the treatments that are available now and is that a playing a significant role in the reduction of cancer death? So we much better at keeping people alive. Once they've been diagnosed with cancer. (00:36:23) I don't think the treatment played a big role in this particular decline that you're seeing are in the last decade or so 1.1 percent per year. I think this is driven mainly by as I said early detection and smoking cessation. There are some remarkable. Send treatment that have occurred and for example the treatment of Childhood Cancer certainly prolonged survival there but childhood cancers fortunately or are relatively rare so they don't make a large contribution to the overall cancer incidence and death rates these these rates that were talking about in this particular paper are mainly driven by lung prostate breast and colon cancer. And they're in in these cancers early detection is really the key (00:37:27) Kathy your question. (00:37:29) I'm wondering if dr. heck could elaborate on the research correlating pesticide exposure with cancer and I'm especially interested in two areas if there is any research about lawn chemicals, or Spring we've gotten notices in our community that the schools are being treated for are spraying for dandelions, and we're getting sprayed for mosquitoes. So I'm wondering if this is something that we need to look into and pick up on or if there's really no correlation with these areas. Well, there are some studies that indicate that. pesticides and related agents may have some impact on on certain cancers. For example, the Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma with was actually mentioned in this paper, but these are these studies are mainly in areas and groups of people where there's the potential for large amounts of pesticide exposure for example in in farm lands and in pesticide applicators the occasional use of a pesticide around a home or on a lawn should not Make a significant impact. I would not think on cancer risk, but in cases where there's occupational exposure that could be a different story and and there are studies from Nebraska and other areas of the Midwest carried out by the National Cancer Institute that do indicate some risk there again, I would advise you to go to the National Cancer Institute website for (00:39:27) that Professor. This is kind of a tough question to answer but I'll ask it anyway, how would you characterize our knowledge of cancer and we have we just scratched the surface of what we know about cancer. Do we have a pretty good grip on on how cancers operate how they're what they're caught. You know what the cause of them is how you prevent it. We have a good grip on it. Just starting to scratch the surface. How would you characterize that I (00:39:56) think we have a good grip on. The understanding of the molecular events and cancer in general and also for particular cancers. There's really been an explosion of knowledge in the past 20 years or so with the Genome Project. We understand a lot more about cancer genes. We understand a lot about the effects that exposure to environmental chemicals or viruses has on genes and DNA. We understand quite a bit about the multi-step nature of cancer. So I think we have a really an in-depth knowledge of mechanisms of cancer, but unfortunately, That is not the reason why a cancer incidence is decreasing that knowledge has not really been applied widely yet. It has been applied in some circumstances with successful results, but it has not really been applied widely. So the the genomic Revolution the molecular Revolution is not really the cause of this decrease the cause of the decrease is less tobacco use and better (00:41:26) screening and the the importance of the better screening the early detection is that what is simply that the treatment is much easier then? Yes, so that while our While most of this decline can't be attributed to better treatment overhaul some some great breakthroughs and treatment the mere fact that you find it earlier makes the treatment more effective. Absolutely. Okay, Mary your question. Thank you. I wonder (00:41:54) If Professor heck could address any correlation between the increased number of abortions and the rising rate in breast cancer. I've heard there is a connection and I'll take his answer offline. Thank (00:42:08) you any research in that area. (00:42:09) I don't think there's any connection between abortions and breast cancer (00:42:13) whatsoever. Okay, Sarah. You're up next. Go ahead, please. Okay. Hello. I was wondering about a how family (00:42:22) history plays into cancer and prevention and planning in that way (00:42:30) does my mother had breast cancer. My father had colon cancer. Does that put me at risk for ovarian (00:42:37) cancer? If your mother had breast cancer in your father had colon cancer. I don't think there's any particular reason why you should be at risk for ovarian cancer. However, there are incidents has we know that genetics is important in cancer, and we know that there are so-called cancer families. So if you look at the pedigree of your entire family including various relatives sometimes (00:43:12) You (00:43:12) will find that that the incidence of cancer in particular family is much much higher than would be expected based on overall cancer incidence rates. And these these cancer families have provided very strong Clues to cancer etiology and the risk for cancer can be very high in these cancer families. Fortunately. The cancer families are quite rare. (00:43:43) Do you cut back to overtime just a best-guess that we're going to find out that family history genetics plays a much much larger role than we currently think it does or might we have over emphasized at and over time. We'll find out. Well, it was it's important but it's not that important. (00:44:01) I mean there's there's strong data out there. Now that indicate that family history is not the major factor in cancer. The major factors are environmental broadly defined such as tobacco and diet not family history, but when there is family history that can be a very strong influence (00:44:27) not a lot of time left, but if you have a quick question for Steven hectic about cancer rates in the United States, give us a call here, six five, one two, two seven six thousand or 1-800 to for 228286512276 thousand 1-800 to 40. To a28 are we likely to see a cancer vaccine soon where you just go get a shot and then you don't have to worry about cancer. (00:44:56) No, I don't think that's likely you you have to remember that cancer is is a number of different diseases. It's very unlikely that there would be one cancer vaccine. However, there are vaccines that can be protective. For example, we know that Hepatitis B virus is a very strong risk factor for liver cancer. So vaccination against Hepatitis B virus would certainly decrease your risk for liver (00:45:28) cancer big breakthroughs likely in gene therapy one day you go in and they find you've got a defective gene. They take that out put in a good one and Away you go again healthy as a bird and never have to worry about (00:45:42) it. It's a long road to hoe. I mean there's a lot of fantastic basic research out there, but there are there are still major practical problems in implementing (00:45:55) this You get the sense that were spend is more money the answer to to develop to really making a breakthrough in cancer treatment cancer prevention cancer detection in the rest is a notice the National Institutes for health are is proposing a 12% increase in funding for cancer research if that figure instead of 12% were a hundred and twelve percent. Would that extra money make a huge amount of difference (00:46:23) extra money would make a difference. There's no question about it. More money would attract more people and to research it would allow ideas to flourish and develop and extra money is would definitely make a difference. There's no doubt about it (00:46:45) Vivian your question, please (00:46:47) thank you very much. Dr. Hecht, you've been emphasizing the role of tobacco smoke repeatedly throughout the program and what I'm interested in is the role of marijuana smoke on the folks who started smoking marijuana a long time ago in the 60s and continue to be moderate. Marijuana smokers. Don't seem to be appearing on the chart yet the American Cancer Society on refuses to acknowledge that marijuana can be used medicinally even in a vaporized format. Could you could you address that issue for me and I'll hang up and listen to your answer. Thank you. Well, there are some studies that indicate that marijuana smoke could be a risk factor some of the same carcinogens that's cancer-causing agents are present in marijuana smoke that are present in tobacco smoke but the main differences that people smoke far less marijuana cigarettes than they do. Tobacco cigarettes. The average smoker of tobacco cigarette smokes a 15 to 20 cigarettes per day and even dedicated marijuana users don't have that kind of dose. So the dose is less. So the risk is less but but marijuana smoke does have some carcinogens in (00:48:04) it Marianne your question. (00:48:07) I'm hi. Thanks. I was wondering if there is any correlation between like dry-cleaning chemicals like / Kathleen and cancer rates. Yes, there are some studies that indicate that a perchloroethylene and other related chemicals are carcinogenic again, it's a question of exposure. Most people are not exposed that much to these compounds but in the case of Occupational exposure, if not properly controlled, that could be a significant risk (00:48:46) factor quick question Marcia before we wrap up. (00:48:49) Yes. Thank you. I have a question about elevated levels of radon in a basement and the incidence of cancer lung cancer in patients if you have any statistics on that and I'll hang up and listen, thank you. Yes. There are a number of studies that indicate that radon levels in homes can be risk factor for lung cancer. We know that radon does cause lung cancer in humans from studies of uranium miners. The question is does the rate on that's in a in someone's basement constitute a risk factor. Again. It's question of dose-response. So if you know the less exposure the less risk, but there are some studies mainly from Sweden that indicate that radon exposure in the home home does cause lung cancer. (00:49:40) Let's say shoehorn one more quick question in here Deb very quickly, please (00:49:45) hi say, my mother has been smoking for almost 50 years lives a sudden sedentary lifestyle and doesn't eat right and doesn't have cancer. Why not? Well only about 15 percent of smokers get lung cancer. There are major differences among people in the way. They respond to Tobacco carcinogens and some people appear to be protected. Whereas other people are at higher risk, and we need to understand what those differences are. We don't know that yet. We don't know (00:50:19) are we close to knowing (00:50:20) things? Like we know what? Yeah. I mean, we know that some people can more or less detoxifier get rid of the carcinogens that are present in tobacco smoke more easily than others can and that's there might be 100 fold difference in the damage to DNA among smokers because of differences in the way people can detoxify these carcinogens. So so that's likely to be one of the major (00:50:53) factors cancer. H were down from 92 to 98 as the society ages are we likely to see actually the cancer rates going up some it would seem like inevitably you're going to get something going to catch some kind of horrible disease when you get as you get older you just live longer. (00:51:14) Well, that's true. But I believe these rates are they take aging into (00:51:18) account. So the there maybe that's factored out when yes when we go ahead and figure that. Well, thank you so much for your information. I really appreciate you joining us today. Okay. Thank you. Stephen hack to is the Wallin professor of cancer prevention at the University of Minnesota Cancer Center joining us say this first Arbor. Midday programmed talk about a new report that came out this week from the government a number of government agencies research agencies got together, but their statistics together and found out that overall death rates for cancer, too. Find in the United States by 1.1 percent from 1990 to 298. Overall number of cancer cases also declined during that period quite a turnaround from what had been happening the previous 20 years and we'd like to thank all of you who've been with us this hour, especially those of you who called in or try to call in with your questions and comments on the cancer rates here in America. Just a reminder over the noon hour about five minutes from now. We're going to have a special report on a an unpleasant event in Minnesota History the lynching of three black men by an angry white mob in Duluth will look at that story over the noon hour today. If you've heard Marketplace recently, you've been kept up to date in the shifts in our economy. (00:52:38) We're getting a little bit carried away. If we take the possibility of a depression (00:52:42) seriously heard from experts on the reasons behind them. It wasn't the bursting of the.com bubble. The real reason for this downturn is far more mundane and discovered what it all means to you. What is affecting your money. World today, I'm David brancaccio find out join us on Marketplace from PRI Marketplace are as weekday evenings at 6:30 here on Minnesota Public Radio 5 minutes now before 12 and time for the writers almond.