Health
Cancer research funding pays off
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Jan. 14, 2008
The American Society of Clinical Oncology identified two dozen significant advances in cancer prevention, screening and treatment within the past year, but is warning that such developments will not continue if funding remains flat, according to the annual Clinical Cancer Advances report issued in December 2007 and slated for publication this month in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
"The long-term federal investment in cancer research is paying off," said ASCO President Nancy E. Davidson, MD. "But this impressive pace of progress will slow if we don't recommit to funding cancer research."
The report found that money allocated for the National Cancer Institute has not changed for four years, meaning that, adjusted for inflation, it has actually declined by 12%.
The American Cancer Society also issued its first global tally. More than 12 million new cancer diagnoses and 7.6 million deaths are estimated to have occurred worldwide last year.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2008/01/14/hlbf0114.htm.
