Globe and Mail silly c-words: "Are we too fearful of cancer?"

“Fuck cancer?” Little cancerphobic, there, Kathie. This isn’t just about you and your chemo
With both the Princess of Wales and King Charles undergoing treatment for cancer, one of the world’s deadliest diseases is back in the headlines in a big way.
There is no doubt the news has left many worrying not only about the fate of the King and Princess, but about their own health as well. After all, nothing strikes fear in one’s heart more than the C-word. The very mention of it feels like a death sentence.
However, a recent book argues that our fear of cancer is excessive and, in some cases, even a phobia.
In Curing Cancerphobia: How Risk, Fear and Worry Mislead Us, former journalist and Harvard University instructor David Ropeik argues that “our emotional relationship with the Emperor of All Maladies is out-of-date.”
— Andre Picard, “Are we too fearful of cancer?” Globe and Minion, Mar. 26, 2024.

Lighten up! As long as they don’t find cancer too early or too late, you’ll be fine!
But the bulk of the book focuses on the value (or lack thereof) of screening. Mr. Ropeik says the evidence shows that the common mantra around cancer – that finding it early is essential to survival – is not true. While it may seem heretical, he argues that not every cancer nee

...Read More