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Canadian Colorectal Cancer Death Rate Projected To Be 66% Greater Than United States
An exchange of comments today on Facebook concerning the Obamacare proposal prompted me to do some research which produced an astonishing conclusion: the 2009 death rate from colorectal cancer in Canada is now projected to be 166% of the U.S. death rate from colorectal cancer. The difference is eye-opening.
Estimates based on past years had put the comparative rate at 125% (Canada compared to the U.S.). I was challenged on that number by someone who can’t do basic math and claimed that the difference was .004%. So I did a little research and came up with actual numbers.
According to Colon Cancer Canada, projected deaths from colorectal cancer are 9,100 — the same figure my challenger used. However, he used a very outdated number (71,000) for the United States. According to the American Cancer Society in 2008 about 49,960 people will die of colorectal cancer. See ACS, Statistics for 2009, and download the pdf file “Colorectal Cancer Facts & Figures 2008-2010.” Since the U.S. death rate from colorectal cancer has been dropping like a stone in recent years, 2009 deaths will certainly be lower.
When I take the population of Canada (estimated at 33,504,700 as of January 1, 2009) and calculate the percentage of colorectal cancer deaths, I get about .0272 per cent, the same as my math-challenged questioner. You can convert that to deaths per 100,000 if you wish; it makes no difference. The U.S. rate (estimated population 305,000,000 in February 2009) using the 2008 ACS death estimate comes to about .0164 per cent. To compare the rates of Canadian to U.S. colorectal cancer deaths, you must then divide Canada (.0272) by the U.S. (.0164). The Canadian death rate works out to 166% per cent of the United States death rate.
Because the U.S. death rate is dropping, this calculation is conservative.
So much for which side is spreading misinformation.
Here is the original comment and response:
ME: If I had been Canadian when I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2007, I would probably be dead now; Canada’s government-run health care did not permit the treatment I received here, even though it had been established for almost 5 years and provides the best chance of survival. Canada’s premature death rate from colorectal cancer is 125% compared to the U.S.
Tags: Canada, colorectal cancer, death rate, health care, liberals, Obamacare
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Not to mention the higher rates for Prostate and Breast Cancer.
Ever wonder why? They have the same level of medicine that the US does. Only we survive cancer better.
@findalis – But they don’t have the same level of medicine that the US does. They don’t have enough doctors or hospitals, so care is rationed. There are long waits for tests, including cancer screening tests. Their MRI and CT scanners are outmoded and they don’t have enough of them. And finally, they are slow to approve, or don’t approve, life-saving treatments. Canada has the same level of medicine that the US had in 1995.
Hmm- 10 of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies are based in America– i wonder if that has anything to do with it? I mean if we get the best drugs first, wouldn’t that have a significant impact on cancer survival rates? I could be wrong, but no other country has more than 2 in the top 20. And i don’t quite yet understand how that would change if there were a cheaper gov’t healthcare option.
Also another curious fact which provides context for me is that the U.S. still spends twice as much on healthcare than other countries, despite having a private healthcare system. I also read in the Commonwealth fund survey that compared to Canada, three times as many Americans skipped some form of care in the past year because of cost. i don’t think Canada’s is a great system, but I feel the same way about my beloved America’s system. Still trying to form my opinion on this whole healthcare debate…
@sam malone –
Hmm- 10 of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies are based in America– i wonder
if that has anything to do with it?
Of course it has something to do with it – - why do you think those pharmaceutical companies are here in the first place? Are you aware that European pharmaceutical companies buy subsidiaries in the USA so they can develop new drugs here? In the USA, drug companies can actually make a profit, so they like it here better.
if we get the best drugs first, wouldn’t that have a significant impact on cancer survival rates?
Of course it does, but the word “first” is misleading. Canadians weren’t denied oxaliplatin, for example, because we had it “first;” Canadians could have had the same drug THE NEXT DAY – - but the Canadian government-run health care system wouldn’t approve it for use under Canada’s health care plan. “First” had nothing to do with it – - the operative words are “rationing” and “denial of care.”
OK, Jay, I checked your math, now I understand what you are you stipulating and I understand you are correct. Another way of looking at it would be that, if Canada had the same population as US, given Canada’s rate it would have 82,960 deaths this year (rather than 9100) as compared to 50,020 for the US. But Canada isn’t as big as the US and Canada isn’t the US so it really is an irrelevant issue to US health care and it’s future.
What you are trying to prove or imply is that more die in Canada because of an inferior single payer system that denies care, but your supposition cannot prove that, that is too complicated an examination for your methodology.
I don’t have the time myself, but why don’t you do the same analysis for all the major types of cancer, maybe Canada scores better than the US on some, maybe better overall? How about all deaths from all disease. Let’s say Canada did better in some areas or better overall, would that mean that Canada’s single payer system, on the whole, is better than the US private insurance system?
Much Love,
Mathematically Challenged
@CPThrasher – Clarke: I wish I had that kind of time! Cancer survival rates for Canada and the United States were on a par in (I believe) 1997, but since then the United States has pulled steadily ahead. If you were to adjust for demographics, the difference would be more pronounced in favor of the United States. The situation concerning colon cancer may be worse than others, but still the U.S. is generally ahead, and the difference in availability and timing of tests and treatment is the most rational explanation. Here are some links you may find informative:
http://www.ncpa.org/pub/ba596
http://politicalcalculations.blogspot.com/2007/10/closer-look-at-cancer-survival-rates.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1560849/UK-cancer-survival-rate-lowest-in-Europe.html
http://www.conferenceboard.ca/HCP/Details/health/mortality-cancer.aspx
Jay, what you are doing fishing for statistics to support your position, and it’s dishonest.
Okay, so we beat Canada. So what. The last time I checked, Canada doesn’t have any tropical agricultural regions, like Texas, California, Florida and the Deep South, where colon-friendly fresh fruits and vegetables are grown in abundance. What the Canadians do grow is beef, pork, mutton and wheat, and they also catch a lot of fish. So the higher incidence of colon cancer can just as easily be attributed to a less-than-optimal diet that is the result of cultural, geographical and climatological factors.
If you consider deaths from all cancers, the U.S. doesn’t do so well. In fact, our mortality rate from cancer is higher than Australia, Norway, France, Austria, Sweden, Finland and the United Kingdom — all of which have socialized/single payer health care systems. (Source: http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_dea_fro_can-health-death-from-cancer&int=-1)
Bottom line? I’m not in favor of such systems, but I am even less in favor of the demagoguing that both sides are indulging in. The only way to fix the health care system is to get the government completely out of it and let the free market rule. Unfortunately, neither the Republicans nor the Democrats will ever let that happen, for obvious ($$$) reasons.
@rio9000 – There is nothing “dishonest” in what I wrote. The numbers are from reliable sources. Your citation is misleading, however; it is a 2004 publication which relies on data from the year 2000, thus omitting the past nine years of progress. See, for example: http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/ReportNation2008Release
The claim that Americans have a lower incidence of cancer because the South grows fresh fruits and vegetables in abundance but Canada produces beef, pork, mutton, wheat and fish is nonsense. The incidence of cancer is higher in the American South than the United States as a whole. If you have any evidence that Canadians don’t consume fresh fruits and vegetables, please enlighten me — I’ve been to Canada and the groceries there seem to have pretty much the same selection of produce as we have around here.
If the Canadian system is so bad why has it been able to exist for over the past 50 years and that the people of Canada have not voted in politicians who would vote to overturn this system and get one like the US. Also with medicine why did the past admin and the pham companies pass laws to stop americans from buying same meds but at reduced costs and even put pressure on Canadian govt to stop this– MONEY
@Michael Boyd – Once health care is nationalized, it is impossible to reverse course, no matter what the shortcomings of the system may be.
According to your facts above about Colon Cancer, this must mean that the US would have a lower mortality rate then most of the other countries in the world?
This would be what we hope to achieve?
Let’s compare statistics then, rather than trying to compare one disease.
Basic Statistics
U.S. Canada
Life Expectancy (Male) 74.8 77.4
Life Expectancy (Female) 80.1 82.4
Infant Mortality/1000 live births 6.8 5.3
Obesity Rate (Male) 31.1 17.0
Obesity Rate (Female) 32.2 19.0
HC spending as % of GDP (2005) 16.0% 10.4%
I believe your health care costs have also skyrocketed in the last decade so that number is probably greater.
I believe that there would also be less bankruptcy due to health issues in Canada vs US
Thanks for the usual meretricious comparison. When you factor out risks not associated with cancer, such as homicides and motor vehicle accidents – - which do run higher in the US than in Canada and many other countries – - then life expectancy for American citizens looks a lot better. The issue I address is whether the health care system in this country is preferable for persons with treatable illnesses, and it is. Drive-by shootings and drunk driving are different issues and changing our health care system doesn’t address them.
Jay,
I congratulate you for your clarity to express statistics and for being on top of what really public option might be for the US.
Americans don’t have a clue in what they are getting into. They think (and they ask) for a public option that also includes QUALITY. Where did they get that from? Quality and public option don’t go hand in hand. In order to cover the costs, you have to cut somewhere. Where to cut? You cut in those expensive treatments, such as cancer, implants and others.
I grew up with public health care in my country of origin. Yes, you have vaccinations free. Yes, you can see a doctor and not paying anything. Yes, you can get an X-Ray for 5 bucks. But, to see a doctor for any specific condition you will have to wait months; good luck if your doctor can read the X-ray you got for 5 bucks (X-rays machines sometimes are 10, 15 years old, when they are not broken) and forget about advance treatments. They simply don’t cover. There is no money for everything.
So, it really saddens me when I read that most Americans think they will get quality public healthcare as if they were paying for a private one. I don’t understand how they don’t realize it’s impossible to get, unless you tax the hell out of people.
Regards and keep up the good work.
@Jay Henderson –
Oh…and regarding to this comment. You are absolutely right. The reason that once you nationalize the system is impossible to go back is, somehow a change of mentality in people and hypocrecy. The rich and upper middle class always will have the means to get private or better treatment. Interestingly, they are the ones that, at least in my country, push the most for the public system. It is a way to calm their guilt. They see it this way: “it’s better than the poor have some coverage than not have anything at all.” Now, wether that covers something more complicated or not, well they don’t know and they don’t care. They keep the poor reasonably happy this way (they are ignorant after all and they don’t know better and won’t google to know if somebody is rationing a treatment from them) and the rich and others don’t have to share more expenses, since they pay taxes to cover the poor.
Ugly, isn’t it?
Jay, thanks for the citations. I have just used them to support my assertion elsewhere that the Canadian system is better than or at least equal to the US system in terms of results.
I have bookmarked them as well.
By the way, I have lived in Canada over 35 years and in the USA 12 years, so I know both systems first-hand.
I’ll take the Canadian system any day.
@Peter –
By the way, I have lived in Canada over 35 years and in the USA 12 years, so I know both systems first-hand.
Have you been treated for surgical/ terminal diseases in Canada?
Based on the California Association of Health Plans, the average waiting for surgery in Canada is 126 days. The Canadian system received 36 billion dollars from the Government in the last 10 years.
And this one is just one report, of the many around there that say exactly the same.
http://www.calhealthplans.org/documents/HCC04_SinglePayerHCSystem.pdf
My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S.A. in 2004. Only one week later she was undergoing surgery successfully. All covered by my insurance.
Do you think she could’ve waited 126 days for a mastectomy?
@Peter – Peter: How odd that you would use those references in support of the Canadian system when they show exactly the opposite. Leads me to wonder how sorry the rest of the Canadian health care system is, given your conclusion that a 66% higher rate of premature death makes the Canadian system “better than or at least equal to the US system in terms of results.”
“I’ll take the Canadian system any day.” You’re welcome to it.
What nonsense!
“Ontario also has lower death rates for each of the top six causes: heart disease, cancer, stroke, emphysema and other chronic lower respiratory diseases, diabetes and accidents.”
http://www.ohio.com/news/american_dream/25659804.html?c=y
You’re either joking, or . . . never mind. I restrain myself from using such words. Your comment is based on an article which compares Ontario and Ohio — not Canada and the United States.
What nonsense.