Conversation with my mother when I was about 25
Mom: You really need to quit smoking, so and so died of cancer last week you know
Me: Very sheepishly, oh, thats so sad, I don't remember her, who was she?
Mom: Mentions some distant relative I met possibly never
Me: You are right Mom, how old was she anyway (thinking she left behind a young family)
Mom: I can't remember exactly, between 85-88 years old.
In the old days people died of "old age", now they attribute it to some disease, easier to pad the statistics, more money for the industry.
While cancer is a horrible disease, I don't for one second think that 1 out of every 2 people get it. 
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." - Mark Twain