Episode 79: Cancer rates

Episode 79: Cancer rates

Author: Tom Chivers and Stuart Ritchie July 22, 2025 Duration: 52:11
Science Fictions
ScienceTechnology

Are cancer rates going up or down? It seems like depending on where you look, you’ll find different answers to the question. What’s going on here — have some writers just got it completely wrong? Is it something to do with different types of cancer? Are we being confused by some kind of weird statistical artefact? All of the above? In this episode of The Studies Show, we do our very best to find out.

The Studies Show is brought to you by Works in Progress magazine, the ultimate place online to read about new and underrated scientific and technological ideas that could make the world a better place. You can find a huge range of essays online, for free, at www.worksinprogress.co.

Show notes

* BBC Future article on early-onset cancer rates

* BMJ Oncology article on global cancer incidence increasing by 79%

* And its online supplementary information

* July 2025 Economist article on how the world is winning the war on cancer

* Saloni Dattani’s 2025 article on the decline in global cancer rates

* The GLOBOCAN data update from the IARC, 2002 and 2008

* Our World in Data’s graph on global cancer incidence over time

* Their graph on smoking rates and lung cancer deaths

* Their graph on stomach cancer death rates

* New RCT on vaping and smoking cessation

* A 90% drop in cervical cancer rates in England

* The hepatitis B vaccine and a massive drop in liver cancer incidence in China

* On H. pylorii, ulcers, and cancer

* 2000 JAMA article questioning the utility of the 5-year survival rate statistic

* 2014 PLOS ONE article that’s more positive about the statistic

* Tom’s BuzzFeed News article on oncology

* RCT of herceptin on breast cancer survival

* Study on rates of colorectal cancer

* And the same, in relation to BMI

Credits

The Studies Show is produced by Julian Mayers at Yada Yada Productions.



This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencefictionspod.substack.com/subscribe

Every week, Tom Chivers and Stuart Ritchie pull apart the biggest arguments and most confusing claims making headlines. Science Fictions isn't just about celebrating breakthroughs; it's a necessary dive into the messy, contested, and often surprising realities of how science actually works. You'll hear them unpack heated debates, examine questionable studies, and explore why even solid research can sometimes lead to public confusion. This podcast serves as a guide through the noise, separating compelling evidence from overblown narratives. Each episode feels like a conversation with two deeply informed friends who aren't afraid to ask tough questions, offering clarity on topics that matter. For anyone curious about the stories behind the science headlines, this is an essential listen. Tune in for thoughtful analysis that goes beyond the press release, grounded in a genuine fascination with how we know what we know.
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