Cancer to Surpass Heart Disease as Number One Cause of Death by 2030

Heart disease is currently the leading cause of death in the United States, and also one of the leading causes of death worldwide. One in every fourth deaths in the U.S. is a result of heart disease, but medical experts believe that will soon change.

Sixteen years from now in 2030, the American Society of Clinical Oncology reports that cancer will become the leading cause of death in the United States. Although cancer research has been extensive in recent decades, there are still physician shortages and financial difficulties that the medical field is dealing with.

Ongoing research can only do so much, and the prediction of a 45% increase in cancer diagnoses by 2030 is not going to help. There are more than 170 FDA-approved anti-cancer drugs, but some people are resistant to them and some people could be further affected negatively by them. However, cancer patients are living as long as they ever have.

Obamacare is also expected to have a negative effect on this state of affairs as many more Americans will have health insurance and be eligible for care by 2030. There is already a shortage of oncologists in the United States and that is not expected to improve in the coming years. Additionally, the average cost of cancer drugs is $10,000 per month, which many people already don't have, and many certainly will not have by 2030.

Cancer is already creeping up on heart disease. In 2013, the American Cancer Society projected that there would be over 1.6 million new cancer diagnoses and about 580,000 cancer-related deaths. Perhaps the increase in projections for cancer diagnoses could be related to the growing prevalence of obesity, which raises one's risk of cancer.

Doctors, health experts, and scientists will be working hard in the coming years to help cope with these imminent problems. School cafeterias have already been placing restrictions on junk food and former mayor Mike Bloomberg of New York City banned large-sized cups to control sugary drink consumption. If society can improve their health in various respects, the United States could help refute these projects by 2030.

To read more about this issue, visit the American Cancer Society website as well as this CNN article.