Genyous Biomed

Needs of The Growing Elderly Population

Many chronic diseases such as cancer have been characterized as a disease of the elderly. As a result of the aging population (particularly in industrialized countries) increases in the number of people diagnosed with chronic diseases will likely continue through the next few decades.

Cancer: The Second Leading Cause of Death in the U.S.

If the association between age and the incidence of cancer continues its current trend in the coming decades, cancer will likely overtake heart disease as the leading cause of death in the U.S. This association between aging and increasing death rates due to cancer also characterizes other developed countries around the world.

Lung Cancer Epidemic

In countries where lung cancer is not already the leading cause of cancer mortality, it is projected to become so in the very near future. Globally in the year 2000 over 1.1 million people died from lung cancer, and the mortality rate is growing at epidemic proportions.

Global Lung Cancer Epidemic

(source: World Health Organization)

Prostate Cancer: The Most Prevalent Cancer Among American Men

There are over 540,000 new prostate cancer cases each year (source: Globocan 2000, Global Cancer Incidence and Mortality). In the USA prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men, affecting 1 in 6 males (source: American Cancer Society: 2004). Increased screening for prostate cancer will likely lead to an increased frequency of diagnosed cancer cases in the coming years. While this practice will hopefully lead to earlier treatment and a lower mortality rate, it will also increase the numbers of prostate cancer survivors (over 150,000 new people per year in the USA alone) whose primary concern will be the recurrence of a more aggressive form of the cancer.