The Cancer Connection: And What We Can Do About It

Agran, a 32-year-old lawyer, found inspiration forThe Cancer Connectionfrom three thoughts: (1) The United States population is experiencing a raging cancer epidemic for which the author uses the rather contrived term "a cancer pox." (2) Despite the expenditure of huge sums for research, a cure for malignant neoplasia is unlikely in the foreseeable future. (3) Since the epidemic is "man-made," it can be checked by preventive measures. The book seeks to excite reader interest by a series of grisly case reports about cancer victims, and the reports in turn engender indictments of industries because they have exposed workers directly and populations indirectly to carcinogenic pollutants. The federal government and tobacco manufacturers are linked for blame; they have connived to cause lung cancer. The food industry is guilty of using unnecessary carcinogenic additives. Physicians and dentists have caused cancer by misuse and overuse of x-ray examinations. (Agran neglects to