[Present status of cancer treatment]

Cancer is the second cause of mortality in Chile: 12,000 deaths and 27,000 admissions were registered during 1982. Gastric and pulmonary cancer account for the highest mortality rates (23.2 and 9.7/100,000). Cancer prognosis has improved in thyroid, uterus and testes cancers, melanoma, Hodgkin's Disease etc, with 67 to 92% 5-year survival rates, while results are not as good in lung, gastric, colorectal, kidney, pancreas, etc, with only 3 to 52% 5-year survival rates. Treatment failure is attributed to cellular mutations and early metastases. At present, surgery is less aggressive and is associated to radiotherapy and chemotherapy; megavoltage radiation equipment and the use of radiosensitizers allow double radiation dose; chemotherapy complications are avoided with hematopoietic growth factors. It is possible to improve the prognosis of lung cancer avoiding the use of tobacco and of colorectal cancer reducing fats in the diet of these pts. Early detection and better chemotherapy have improved the prognosis of breast and uterus cancer. With these measures a 20 to 50% reduction in cancer rates is expected in the USA for the year 2000. Their application is urgent in our country.