Cancer Report Bayern cancer an old-age disease

Active against cancer in Bavaria

04/11/2013

Cancer is on the increase and sometimes varies enormously according to age, gender and region. However, for those who suffer, the risk of dying from it decreases. The Bavarian health minister Huber says that this also depends on his own behavior.

Over 30,000 deaths from cancer
At least 350,000 people in Bavaria live with the diagnosis of cancer. Every year, about 68,000 new cases are added and every year about 30,000 people die of the disease in the Free State. The total in 2011 was 31,746 deaths. At the presentation of the first Bavarian Cancer Report in Munich, Health Minister Huber said on Wednesday: „The absolute number of cancers has increased. "The report, which is to appear in the future at regular intervals, should also address those affected and their relatives in order to show them suitable options for action. „The risk of dying from cancer is decreasing, medical progress is showing its fruits, "analyzed the minister, as well „The diagnosis of cancer is a stroke of fate for the sufferer, but also for his environment. "

Himself responsible for cancer?
The President of the Bavarian Cancer Society and chief physician at the Augsburg Hospital, Professor Günter Schlimok, who was present at the presentation of the report in Munich, said: „A good third of all cancers can be prevented by individual measures“. Such statements are controversial in oncologists, as there are various theories on cancer triggers and there is no clear cause of cancer. However, doctors point to risk factors that can promote cancer. For example, environmental factors such as air pollution, various food additives, high alcohol consumption or smoking have been identified as possible risks, but even with a parent's cancer, the likelihood of illness increases.

Active against cancer
Until the 20th of April, with the Bavarian theme week „Active against cancer“ be pointed to a healthy lifestyle as protection against cancer. For example, the campaign supported by Franz Beckenbauer, for example, addresses the positive effect of sport, saying that 30 minutes of moderate exercise are already a good step in the direction of cancer prevention. In addition, it could also reduce harmful excess weight and improve the metabolism. The statement „Movement and sport can reduce the risk of cancer by up to 30 percent. "But the Bavarian Minister of Health should not be misinterpreted because it would be wrong to assume cancer patients, past passivity would be the reason for their suffering.

Sport even with a cancer
Sport also has a healing effect, so studies have shown. Professor Schlimok says: „Just a few years ago, doctors advised their cancer patients to look after themselves. These times are definitely over ".

Cancer is an old-age disease
However, the available data show that, despite all the possibilities one has of limiting the risk of disease, the likelihood of getting cancer as one gets older increases significantly. Huber said: „Cancer is an old-age disease. "Especially with malignant tumors in the stomach or bladder, the average age at over 70 is relatively high, but that does not mean that there is no danger to younger people, as the Bavarian report states for example the „Black skin cancer“ or even breast cancer in middle age. In younger men who contract testicular cancer, the average age of onset is already 38 years.

Strong differences in the Bavarian regions
For women in Bavaria, the most common type of cancer, with 32 percent of all new cases, is still breast cancer. 10,067 new cases were diagnosed in 2010. Colon cancer is the second most common in women (3995 new cases) and then comes lung cancer with 1973 new patients. The absolute number of new cancer cases in men compared to women was nearly 400 times higher. According to the report „prostate cancer is at the forefront of new cancer cases "(8508 cases), followed by colorectal cancer with 5107 new cases and lung cancer with 3933 cases.The health statisticians found regional differences in Bavaria in the evaluation of the figures, especially the gap between Upper Bavaria From 2006 to 2010, 182 cancer patients per 100,000 inhabitants died in Upper Bavaria, while the number in the Upper Palatinate was 208. The difference was slightly lower among women: „The rates were between 120 deaths (Lower Franconia) and 127 deaths (Upper Palatinate) per 100,000 inhabitants ".

Cancer prevention can save lives
According to Huber, Bavaria is in a good position nationwide for the care of cancer patients. There is „a particularly tightly knit supply network ", which spans around the tumor centers in Augsburg, Bayreuth, Erlangen-Nuremberg, Munich, Regensburg and Würzburg. „Nonetheless, there is room for improvement, as more than 30 percent of affected people in Bavaria, like Germany, still die from their cancer within five years of being diagnosed“, so further explanations from the presented report. For cancer screening, Huber and his experts see a need for improvement, not so much because of the available offers, but rather because of the lack of demand. In Bavaria only about half of all eligible women use cancer screening and only about a quarter of men use it. When and what is useful or necessary for an exam depends on factors such as discomfort, age or gender. Not only for the Free State, cancer prevention can save lives. For example, experts of the German Cancer Aid assume that colonoscopies can save the lives of colon cancer patients. (Ad)

Picture: Rainer Sturm