According to a new government report, the number of cancer survivors in the USA is close to 12 million, in part because of earlier detection, better diagnoses and more effective treatments. Here's a look at advancements for three cancers:
Breast
Researchers in Seattle found that women with the highest body mass index had a 35 percent increased risk of a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer compared with those with the lowest. That's a risk factor you can control.
Lung
It's difficult to diagnose in its most treatable stages, which makes it one of the deadliest cancers. But a study in the journal Lung Cancer found that smokers who got CT scans to look for early tumors had a significantly lower risk of dying over 10 years.
Colon
Eat black raspberries, take aspirin and watch your cholesterol - that's what research suggests. More study is needed; but in the meantime, watch your weight, don't smoke and limit alcohol.
• The Doctors is an Emmy-winning daytime TV show with pediatrician Jim Sears, OB-GYN Lisa Masterson, ER physician Travis Stork, and plastic surgeon Andrew Ordon. Check www.thedoctorstv.com for local listings.
