Two new books chronicle public understanding of the causes of cancer, from the original focus on environmental issues to concentration on lifestyle and hereditary factors and a return to the environment. Sandra Steingraber discusses the books and her own experience with cancer in The Times Literary Supplement.

Biostatistician Andrew Vickers writes in the New York Times that many cancer researchers refuse to share their data, even when sharing it could potentially save lives.The National Institutes of Health (NIH) request that researchers they fund share their data:

The NIH expects and supports the timely release and sharing of final research data from NIH-supported studies for use by other researchers. Starting with the October 1, 2003 receipt date, investigators submitting an NIH application seeking $500,000 or more in direct costs in any single year are expected to include a plan for data sharing or state why data sharing is not possible. (NIH Data Sharing Policy)

Cancer patients without health insurance are more likely to die, according to a new study forthcoming in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians (AP).

Deaths by cancer are declining rapidly, a sign of progress in the fight against the disease, according to a report released today by national cancer organizations (National Cancer Institute).

Citation:  D. K. Espey, X. Wu, J. Swan, et al. (2007). Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, 1975-2004, Featuring Cancer in American Indians and Alaska Natives. Cancer. (Available online)

As part of a series on the leading causes of illness and death in the US, the New York Times includes a feature on cancer patients.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI)’s Community Cancer Centers program will facilitate research and encourage collaboration among private-practice medical, surgical and radiation oncologists to improve cancer care for underserved patients, according to a report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Doctors and patients are increasingly focusing on health problems faced by cancer survivors, according to a New York Times article.

The likelihood of cancer survivors using support groups varies widely by race, sex, and education, according to a study published in Cancer (Reuters Health).

The percentage of women over 40 who said they had a mammogram in the past 2 years declined from 2000 to 2005, according to a study published in Cancer (Reuters Health).

Racial disparities in cancer rates and outcomes may be due to genetics as well as socioeconomic factors, according to new US research (CNN.com).