Thanks

Here is what I wrote in my blog-Open letter to my Senator who was instrumental in obtaining funding to continue this “failed war”

Feel free to circulate

(PS- America seems to have a penchant for declaring war on a number of things and then failing- War is our chief metaphor)

Rick Lippin

Senator Specter, Re “CURING CANCER”

Since I heard you make a similar comment I want to express my objection to your and President Obama’s use of the phrase “we need to cure cancer in our lifetime”

This phrase is not consistent with what experts know about the biology of cancer- over 200 different types I might add.

Senator -There is no “cure for cancer”. Just like there is no “cure” for aging. We can cure individual patients with certain types of cancer thank goodness but indisputably the greatest risk factor for most cancers is cellular and bodily aging.

Declaring we “need to cure cancer” is well intentioned but naïve – harkening back to President Richard Nixon’s failed war on cancer from the 1970’s.

We must continue to chip away at the many factors that contribute to cancers but to suggest we will “cure” all is completely unrealistic and is actually irresponsible.

I share your interest in these diseases and applaud your own personal triumphs and political leadership in this arena.

Sincerely,

Richard A Lippin MD

Southampton,Pa

March 2009

I don’t know why Alzheimer’s is increasing. It is probable that people can live longer with cancer than they used to, although not a lot longer, and of course we all want to live as long as possible even if we have metastatic disease. The reality is that for some cancers we are given false hope.

I did not know breast cancer screening reduced your risk from that disease at all. So, evey time I get a mammogram my risk goes down? I think breast screening is an early detection test- not a risk reduction test. I think colon screening reduces your risk, and cervical screening, not breast though.

Re: cancer
Since some cancers may be the result of toxins in our environment and increasing amounts of toxins are in our water supply and the food supply and emanating from products in our surroundings such as that new carpet or the new kitchen cabinets from China, I would have expected deaths from cancer to steadily increase. That they have stayed the same, by my way of looking at it, is an improvement over what I would have projected. Also, yes, you will die, but many now live years with cancer when they’d have died right away in 1950. I have a friend in her third year with ovarian cancer. Another friend had a cancerous breast removed over ten years ago and she’s had no recurrence. It would be worth it to me to have treatment and live another 10 years, even if I were STILL eventually going to die from the disease. Those 10 years would be important to me.