Kids ask: How many people have cancer?

Jacqueline Zilke's sixth-grade class at West Oak Middle School in Mundelein asked: "How many people have cancer in the United States?"

After heart disease, cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for nearly one quarter of all deaths. The chance for an improved quality of life with a cancer diagnosis increases each year as researchers and physicians discover cancer care advancements. The National Cancer Institute estimates that about 11.4 million people are cancer survivors.

Cancer occurs when cells in your body grow in ways they're not supposed to. Cancer cells don't have a normal life cycle like regular cells. They grow abnormally and continue to grow. A cell can reproduce abnormally on its own, or other causes, like the environment, smoking, heavy alcohol use, exposure to the sun or to tanning, poor nutrition or obesity, can make cell growth erratic.

"The American Cancer Society predicts that 1.48 million new cancer cases will occur this year," said Dr. Ermilo Barrera, an expert on breast cancer, member of the national board of directors of the American Cancer Society, past president and member of the Illinois American Cancer Society Executive Committee and chief of surgery at Glenbrook Hospital in Northbrook.

"The death rate from cancer has decreased every year, from 2001 to 2005 for men, and 1998 to 2005 for women," Barrera said. Statistics only are available through 2005.

"The biggest cause of cancer is tobacco, which causes a huge majority of lung cancers," Barrera said.

Education has led to a better understanding of how to prevent cancer.

"Fewer people are smoking so fewer people will get lung cancer and die from it," Barrera said. "People are better at scheduling tests that can detect cancer, like mammograms for breast cancer. They are better at preventing cancers from occurring by allowing pre-cancers like polyps to be removed from the colon with colonoscopies."

One third of cancers develop from poor nutrition, obesity or a lack of physical activity. Take charge of decreasing your risk for cancer. There's lots of information online at acs.org, sponsored by the American Cancer Society, and prevention.cancer.gov offered by the National Cancer Institute.

Some cancers are still very difficult to treat, like pancreatic cancer. Anyone can help by participating in community fundraising efforts like Relay for Life and Making Strides, where money is used to fund research for more successful cancer treatment and detection.

Check it outThe Fremont Public Library in Mundelein suggests these titles on cancer:bull; "Where's Mom's Hair? A Family's Journey Through Cancer," by Debbie Wattersbull; "The Hope Tree: Kids Talk About Breast Cancer," by Laura Numeroffbull; "Why, Charlie Brown, Why? A Story About What Happens When a Friend is Very Ill," by Charles Schulzbull; "Cancer," by Alvin Silversteinbull; "Coping With Chemotherapy," by Sandra Giddens