It goes without question that our nation has made significant progress in the treatment of cancer. Today, we are saving 350 more lives per day than we were in 1990. However, as doctors focus on the treatment of a patient's cancer, the patients' comfort and concerns are frequently overlooked.
Nearly 150 cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, physicians and researchers are on Capitol Hill today urging their lawmakers to make the fight against cancer a national priority.
To quote John Seffrin, chief executive of the American Cancer Society and ACS CAN, today will go down as one of the most important days in the history of the fight against cancer in this country.
The law the president is about to sign contains provisions that ACS CAN worked hard to have included on behalf of patients. Collectively, this legislation will help patients access lifesaving medications and devices that treat cancer and its side effects.
Through research, we have available screening tests for the top four cancers including colonoscopy, mammography and most recently, at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Norris Cotton Cancer Center, the low-dose spiral CT scan that has the potential to identify early lung cancers.
As the days get warmer and the sun gets hotter it's more important than ever to raise awareness about skin cancer and the dangers of tanning. That's why the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention designated the Friday before Memorial Day as "Don't Fry Day."
I want to share with you some important information about a bipartisan bill advancing in the U.S. Senate that ACS CAN has been closely monitoring the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA). This is a critical bill for cancer patients and their loved ones.
I recently returned from one of the best events ACS CAN hosts all year the State Lead Ambassador Summit. With one in every state, State Lead Ambassadors (SLAs) are ACS CAN's top ranking grassroots volunteers. They coordinate all volunteer-led work across their state.
Earlier this month, as part of National Minority Cancer Awareness Week, ACS CAN co-hosted an important briefing on Capitol Hill to discuss the importance of research and prevention in eliminating inequities among minority populations in prevalence rates of and access to health care for chronic diseases.
When you think of a friend or loved one who is battling cancer, you probably imagine their chemotherapy being administered intravenously at a local hospital. However, modern advances in technology and pharmaceuticals have produced chemotherapy drugs that can be taken orally, in pill form. To date, the FDA has approved more than 40 oral anti-cancer medications for the treatment of at least 54 different types of cancer.