David Wallace-Wells: Suddenly, It Looks Like We’re in a Golden Age for Medicine

A couple of decades later, it looks like a golden age for new treatments. New trials of breast-cancer drugs have led to survival rates hailed in The Times as “unheard-of,” and a new treatment for postoperative lung-cancer patients may cut mortality by more than half. Another new treatment, for rectal cancer, turned every single member of a small group of cases into cancer-free survivors.

There’s lots of bad news out there, but as an even casual observer of medicine, it does seem like the number of advancements we’re making that are saving or improving lives is growing at quite the pace.