Comments on: Breast Cancer Statistics

By: Jill

Jill — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:24:02 +0000

Hans,

Instead of asking “How can we create affordable treatment”, shouldn’t we be asking, “how should we change our lifestyle to prevent it”?

By: Brustkrebs in Deutschland, Europa und weltweit: Zahlen & Daten (Epidemiologie) – lernen

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 21:36:07 +0000

[...] zum Video oben: Breast Cancer Statistics bei gapminder.org, Creative Commons 2.0. Hans Rosling erklärt die Zahlen der International Agency [...]

By: Mark R. Clingan

Mark R. Clingan — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:45:22 +0000

As has been implied by some of the above comments correlation does not show causation. While the statistics shown are interesting and lead to further questions, we should use caution in having our beliefs shaped by them. For example in many of the other videos we have seen that life expectance goes up as income goes up and has done so over the period of time exemplified by this presentation. My understanding is that breast cancer is much more prevalent over 50. Could it be that the increase in breast cancer is also related to the increase in people who live longer than 50 years?

As to the answer to the question of how we can afford to treat breast cancer, it seems this can be answered by the video’s hypothesis if it is correct. I.e., let us promote eating and exercising like people did before wealth gave us access to the “good life.”

By: Hans Rosling: Global health expert and data visionary | OBRA MAESTRA

Hans Rosling: Global health expert and data visionary | OBRA MAESTRA — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:01:42 +0000

[...] this Video Breast Cancer Statistics Posted May 7, 2009 Breast Cancer increases with incomeBut so does the chances of saving women [...]

By: Unveiling the Beauty of Statistics – SmartBean

Unveiling the Beauty of Statistics – SmartBean — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:00:40 +0000

[...] Breast Cancer Statistics and Cervical Cancer Statistics [...]

By: Tera

Tera — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:50:30 +0000

There are many factors that are not discussed on here that need to be. For example, in wealthier countries we have health insurance and those companies recommend and sometimes require if a doctor has felt something they think is a lump for the woman to go get screened for cancer. In that case, cancerous and benign tumors are found in women. Most often the tumors are benign. Only 1 in 8 are cancerous. Of those 1 in 8, most of the tumors are not aggressive cancers. We do not know if treatment is actually curing these women. It could be that these cancers would have stopped growing on their own with a change in diet and exercise or just a better immune response. Sometimes things in our environment or stress is causing our bodies immune systems to be weaker. There is so much we don’t understand. But I definitely agree that lifestyle and environment can lead to better or worse health.

By: florica floare

florica floare — Fri, 29 May 2009 01:17:42 +0000

The correlation between the income and breast cancer incidence SHOULD be presented with the statistics of the anti conceptional use (the pill!!) which has as side effect :….breast cancer and is used more and more as income rises!! (wealthy women are in general professional and independent and do not want kids!!) .
Also the detection of breast cancer increases with the income!!
Until this statistic is corrected as much as possible against these biases I think it is not useful.

By: M. Kelley Harris

M. Kelley Harris — Tue, 26 May 2009 23:53:01 +0000

A caution: If “survival” is defined as “Five-year Survival” rates, then increased early screening increases the percieved benefits of treatment. Women can be dubbed cured and still die of cancer in year six. It would be better to look at age at death. Five-year survival rates are misleading since early diagnosis merely shifts the five-year clock, but does not reflect whether the treatment prolonged the woman’s life.

Also as the countries wealth increases, the amount of screen is likely to increase.

By: Dr Jacek Stepien

Dr Jacek Stepien — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:39:06 +0000

The statistics regarding breast cancer detection in EU are strictly correlated with frequency of mass breast cancer screening programs (based on X-ray mammography).
However – the problem is – the stadium of breast cancers which are detected.
X-Ray Mammography (considering the risk of radiation, the EU Commission has recommended the basic interval between two exposures, in women’s group > 50, as /no frequent than/ 24 months) returns the results according to the normal statistical distribution (in terms of breast cancer development stadium in screened population) – it means that this screening test, despite rise of general expenditures and number of screened, allows to reveal around 10% of the breast cancer’s cases in very early stage (in situ, pre-invasive).
Increase of breast screening frequency should raise detectability of pre-invasive breast cancer. In this aspect, very promising seems to be a conclusion from i.a Keyserlingk et. al. study where was showed significant potential in terms of detectability, if at least two different diagnostic methods were employed (superaddition diagnostic). Keyserlingk et. al observed that if the X-Ray mammography was applied together with pre-screen clinical examination, the breast cancer’s detectability (in such group) was around 83%, while after association of X-Ray Mammography with pre-screening thermography detectability increased up to 93%, AND if the X-Ray mammography was associated with the clinical breast examination AND thermography – average detectability in this group was improved and reached incredible 98%!
This is a gap (a 24-month mammographic diagnostic gap, if we stay with the X-Ray mammography only).

best rgds,

Dr Jacek Stepien

By: case

case — Sat, 09 May 2009 17:13:35 +0000

yeah abortion has got that curve too, are they related?

By: Susan Pettie

Susan Pettie — Fri, 08 May 2009 19:48:36 +0000

Would be interesting to see the new cases mapped against deodorant and antiperspirant use.
As ever brilliant statistics visualization. Fingers crossed we can use these someday in Scotland to illuminate a few things.

By: Breast Cancer Statistics - Gapminder.org

Breast Cancer Statistics - Gapminder.org — Fri, 08 May 2009 00:08:38 +0000

[...] post: Breast Cancer Statistics – Gapminder.org Share and [...]

By: Breast Cancer Statistics - Gapminder.org

Breast Cancer Statistics - Gapminder.org — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:50:31 +0000

[...] the original post: Breast Cancer Statistics – Gapminder… Share and [...]