santogue

Cancer is as much a disease as any other disease, but it's not an infectious disease and it refers more to a set of diseases. So you don't just get cancer, you get a specific type of cancer which is probably very different from other types of cancer, and for the most part that cancer doesn't come from exposure to a microbe/virus of some sort (like infectious diseases do) with the exception of cancers like cervical cancer which may be caused by viruses (like HPV). And even these cancers caused by viruses are not infectious diseases in and of themselves, but secondary diseases caused by the effects of the original virus. Not all who get the virus get cancer later on.

The doc doing the AMA is an infectious disease doctor so that's why he probably went for HIV when asked which disease he would cure since it's in his realm of practice. In addition we cannot simply "cure cancer," since each type of cancer is caused by very different things. But you are right, cancer is caused by problems with the machinery and signals involved in cell multiplication, leading to unchecked cell division.

Are you having a bad day?

Great response, thank you.

Yeah and you're absolutely entitled to that opinion. Unfortunately you lack the class and tact to voice it in a mature and constructive way. People take you more seriously if you don't feel the need to bludgeon them with your opinion.

As a 21 year old, I tend to get most of my news regarding current events and politics from the Colbert Report. It's a fun, easy way to get exposure to what's going on in our country and around the world, and it's much more manageable than reading multiple news sources while balancing a busy student lifestyle.

That being said, how do you think the show has changed youth interest and involvement in current events and politics? Do you think his style makes these topics more accessible to the everyday person? Have you guys discussed this with Mr. Colbert at all?