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New Alarm Bells About Chemicals and Cancer
NY Times ^ | May 6, 2010 | NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF

Posted on 05/09/2010 5:50:48 PM PDT by neverdem

The President’s Cancer Panel is the Mount Everest of the medical mainstream, so it is astonishing to learn that it is poised to join ranks with the organic food movement and declare: chemicals threaten our bodies.

The cancer panel is releasing a landmark 200-page report on Thursday, warning that our lackadaisical approach to regulation may have far-reaching consequences for our health.

I’ve read an advance copy of the report, and it’s an extraordinary document. It calls on America to rethink the way we confront cancer, including much more rigorous regulation of chemicals.

Traditionally, we reduce cancer risks through regular doctor visits, self-examinations and screenings such as mammograms. The President’s Cancer Panel suggests other eye-opening steps as well, such as giving preference to organic food, checking radon levels in the home and microwaving food in glass containers rather than plastic.

In particular, the report warns about exposures to chemicals during pregnancy, when risk of damage seems to be greatest. Noting that 300 contaminants have been detected in umbilical cord blood of newborn babies, the study warns that: “to a disturbing extent, babies are born ‘pre-polluted.’ ”

It’s striking that this report emerges not from the fringe but from the mission control of mainstream scientific and medical thinking, the President’s Cancer Panel. Established in 1971, this is a group of three distinguished experts who review America’s cancer program and report directly to the president.

One of the seats is now vacant, but the panel members who joined in this report are Dr. LaSalle Leffall Jr., an oncologist and professor of surgery at Howard University, and Dr. Margaret Kripke, an immunologist at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Both were originally appointed to the panel by former President George W. Bush...

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cancer; chemicals; health; medicine
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To: neverdem

“In the real world, regulatory decisions usually must be made with ambiguous and conflicting data.”

“usually must”. Wrong. They should be made on confirmed evidence.


61 posted on 05/10/2010 5:35:12 AM PDT by ColdWater ("The theory of evolution really has no bearing on what I'm trying to accomplish with FR anyway. ")
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To: editor-surveyor

“What a crock!

All that does is increase your chance of paying a high price for a “medical” proceedure that is guaranteed to shorten your life!”

Pap smears and colonoscopies improve survival and decrease morbidity. Of course they are both screening tools that can pick up cancer before it is cancer which is ideal for screening.

Work on ideal screening for other cancers in an ongoing endeavor.


62 posted on 05/10/2010 5:37:42 AM PDT by dangerdoc
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To: neverdem

I just heard a piece on the radio that driving with your window down causes skin cancer.


63 posted on 05/10/2010 6:02:26 AM PDT by dangerdoc
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To: stubernx98
So if Chemicals are so bad why is our life expectancy increasing every year?

And we are exposed to more and more chemicals every year.

64 posted on 05/10/2010 7:51:28 AM PDT by oyez (The difference in genius and stupidity is that genius has it limits.)
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To: Nepeta

Post 29 — Excellent, sane perspective. Thanks.


65 posted on 05/10/2010 8:09:09 AM PDT by fullchroma (Obama: GET OUT OF MY DOCTOR'S OFFICE!)
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To: dangerdoc

I’ve had two close relatives die due to colonoscopy misadventure.

Its quite common, and long lasting damage is even more common.

Wise people say no to probing ‘physicians.’
.


66 posted on 05/10/2010 9:32:48 AM PDT by editor-surveyor (Obamacare is America's kristallnacht !!)
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To: BitWielder1

I don’t want government into anything.

What we need is information free flowing, and real education instead of the current propagandization - indoctrination process.

You’d be better informed, judging by your post.
.


67 posted on 05/10/2010 9:37:24 AM PDT by editor-surveyor (Obamacare is America's kristallnacht !!)
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To: hocndoc

You’re posting a strawman!

I said nothing about any specific substance, and salt is mostly just an electrolyte.

Stay ignorant and die young, at your pleasure. (or not)


68 posted on 05/10/2010 9:41:08 AM PDT by editor-surveyor (Obamacare is America's kristallnacht !!)
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To: editor-surveyor

Colonoscopy with polyp removal leads to a complication rate of 7/1000. Considering that all polyps are precancerous, this is acceptable to most people.

Colonoscopy withous polyp removal have about 1/1000 complication rate, this number is actually more troublesome than the former.

Only a few screening tests have numbers to back up their routine use, colonoscopy is one of those few.

I respect your personal choice, but you should probably not be giving medical advice.


69 posted on 05/10/2010 10:19:56 AM PDT by dangerdoc
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To: editor-surveyor

Sodium is definitely a metal.


70 posted on 05/10/2010 10:20:07 AM PDT by hocndoc (http://www.LifeEthics.org (I've got a mustard seed and I'm not afraid to use it.) (RIA)
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To: editor-surveyor
I don’t want government into anything.

I agree. Government in your food is definitely un-healthy.

Jokes aside, government functionaries with a political agenda can not be trusted.
With scientific studies you always have to ask who paid for it.
You can always read the study, it's data, sources, references and conclusions, read other studies and compare.
With politically motivated regulations, bribes and backroom deals, we don't even have the benefits of bad science.
Suddenly it's Law and you can't do anything about it.
71 posted on 05/10/2010 10:20:43 AM PDT by BitWielder1 (Corporate Profits are better than Government Waste)
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To: editor-surveyor

Did both of your relatives go to the same doctor? Fatality secondary to colonoscopy is very rare, I hope somebody is looking into that unfortunate trend.


72 posted on 05/10/2010 10:21:31 AM PDT by dangerdoc
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To: dangerdoc

They weren’t even in the same state, and no, its not rare at all.
.


73 posted on 05/10/2010 1:22:22 PM PDT by editor-surveyor (Obamacare is America's kristallnacht !!)
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To: neverdem

Everything
Everything gives you cancer
Everything
Everything gives you cancer
There’s no cure, there’s no answer
Everything gives you cancer

Don’t touch that dial
Don’t try to smile
Just take this pill
It’s in your file

Don’t work hard
Don’t play hard
Don’t plan for the graveyard
Remember -

Everything
Everything gives you cancer
Everything
Everything gives you cancer
There’s no cure, there’s no answer
Everything gives you cancer

Don’t work by night
Don’t play by day
You’ll feel all right
But you will pay

No caffeine
No protein
No booze or
Nicotine
Remember -


74 posted on 05/10/2010 1:26:29 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: hocndoc

Sodium is not a metal that is included in our cellular structure in normal circumstances, and the salt in our diet is mostly used as electrolytic ions, part of which is used to make stomach acid, but otherwise is excreted through the skin in the same ionic proportions in which it was ingested.


75 posted on 05/10/2010 1:27:35 PM PDT by editor-surveyor (Obamacare is America's kristallnacht !!)
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To: dangerdoc

“Considering that all polyps are precancerous, this is acceptable to most people.”

Nothing about polyps is any more “pre-cancerous” than any other part of the intestine. Polyps are the result of prolonged cronic high blood sugar, just like skin tags, which are like polyps, annoying, but not indicative of cancer.

Just a big money maker for dishonest doctors.
.


76 posted on 05/10/2010 1:32:24 PM PDT by editor-surveyor (Obamacare is America's kristallnacht !!)
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To: editor-surveyor

The death rate for colonoscopy is less than 1/10,000. Higher than I like but hardly common.

Where do you get that colon polyps are not pre cancerous?


77 posted on 05/10/2010 2:39:28 PM PDT by dangerdoc
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To: dangerdoc

Save the hype for the fools, please.


78 posted on 05/10/2010 2:42:17 PM PDT by editor-surveyor (Obamacare is America's kristallnacht !!)
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To: editor-surveyor
colonoscopy misadventure.

Its quite common, and long lasting damage is even more common.

Please give references.....numbers, stats,...you know that sort of thing.

79 posted on 05/10/2010 2:44:24 PM PDT by Osage Orange (Si vis pacem, para bellum)
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To: editor-surveyor
Are you serious.

Where are you getting your numbers?

80 posted on 05/10/2010 2:45:05 PM PDT by Osage Orange (Si vis pacem, para bellum)
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