Ithaca Journal correspondent, Bob Riter, shares some observations of the presence of cancer that he's noticed since he was diagnosed 20 years ago. Riter notes many changes to the way cancer is referenced and how cancer patients are treated both in and out of the doctors office.

For starters, the stigma around cancer has declined, as people have begun to speak more openly about cancer. This change could also be due in part to there being more information about cancer available in the news and on the Internet, so as to detract from much of it's mystery. Additionally, with treatments improving, cancer survival rates are increasing, so there are more people living with cancer as a chronic disease. While Riter is quick to recognize cancer continues to be a struggle, he points out that he's seen things improve.

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