I’m feeling a sudden urge to visit the doctor.
A third of the population? That’s bizarre, isn’t it. Makes me want to emigrate (again). Surely somebody’s figured out why? Something to do with air pollution or (historically high) hepatitis infection?
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One of my guess is Chinese medicine may have a lot of stuff that that causes it.
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Sure it’s not the contaminated food?
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And it does not mention that it hits so many young folk. Cancer in the West is thought an old folk disease.
Contamination from what?
I really think it’s Chinese medicine. If that’s the case.
Among all cancer types, lung cancer and liver cancer remain the most prevalent cause of death.
Lung: From the air
Liver: From food, Chinese medicine, other things that get stuck in the liver when cleaning the blood
Ecoli and plastic and semiconductor toxic chemicals, not to mention pesticides, lead, radiation, etc.
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Pao mien and fake sugar and plasticizers I blame mostly.
There are hundreds, maybe a thousand or more, posts here on Forumosa alone about food problems and food scares, if you want to b start researching contamination from what.
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That would be a bit of a blow to the profession, wouldn’t it. Does Chinese medicine have a concept equivalent to “first do no harm”?
If that turned out to be true, it would certainly explain why nobody has publicly pointed the finger of blame 
EDIT: well, whaddaya know: Science | AAAS
And out of all the Asian countries, I don’t think the food here would have more of that contributing to cancer.
Some Taiwan corporations illegally add plasticizer to the food. It’s not the same as some incidental stuff that may happen in Korea or Japan.
There were terrible revelations last few years about plasticizer being added to the food and scares even me and I have not been eating it my entire life.
Not just one, but all together. Plus less controls in a smaller space. Higher dosage per person.
There was an article today on how the US nuclear tests still affect people in Marshall islands. We have dumping grounds and active nuclear plants with lax controls and very little information released when accidents have occurred. That is just one factor.
Of plastic and chemicals as said we have a ton of threads. Just because say Chiayi folk get more lung cancer due to a certain crafta plant in their vicinity does not mean the rest of us can literally breathe in relief. Another example.
When I start thinking of all the friends and acquaintances that have or had cancers, people my age or younger, I cannot help but wonder how many years of my life I sacrifice for living in peace, safely in Taiwan.
I mean when you compare it the 2 most developed Asian countries maybe it makes sense. But there are a long list of countries that in my guess probably has worse situations when it comes to this.
Over a period of 20 years? Affecting people of all walks of life? Without punishment?
Air pollution (factories AND heavy traffic all over the island)
Lots of deep fried shitty food.
Very common to go to eat processed food at 7/11 (and many “restaurants” are not different)
Polluted water?
Factories right besides animal farms and crops.
Feeding pigs with garbage?
Bad, evil practices in the food industry.
Lots of shitty drinks, all the time.
Chinese medicine.
I mean I don’t doubt pollution and probably some shitty business practices in the food industry here contributed to this. I’m not ignorant to say these things aren’t real and taiwan number 1. But considering some of the places I’ve visited in Asia, surely this isn’t what’s putting it on the top of the list?
Have you seen Cebu, Bangkok, Manila, India and China? Some of these places pretty much dump waste into the water and have no EPA. Some of the other Asian countries probably have much lower food inspection and corruption
I really think the one thing that taiwan does more than any other Asian country per person is Chinese medicine.
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I’d say that in India or Philippines they don’t bother with statistics, not accurate ones.
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