There are currently more than 18 million cancer survivors in the United States, yet there are still significant obstacles in prevention, detection, and treatment
A new report released this week by the American Association for Cancer Research presents a positive outlook for cancer care in the United States. More Americans are surviving cancer than ever before, and the long-running drop in mortality has only accelerated in recent years. At the same time, certain groups remain at a higher risk of getting and dying from cancer.
The findings are contained in the organization's 12th annual Cancer Progress Report. The paper examines the most recent publicly accessible data on cancer mortality and other trends, as well as offering an overview of the most recent developments in cancer prevention and treatment.
According to the estimate, there will be more than 18 million people in the United States with a history of cancer by January 2022, the greatest number ever. There may be 26 million cancer survivors by 2040. Cancer mortality rates have steadily dropped over time, with the total five-year survival rate rising from 49% in the 1970s to 70% between 2011 and 2017. (the most recent time period with available data). And the drop in mortality has now grown even more striking. Cancer mortality decreased by 2.3% per year from 2016 to 2019, according to the report. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cancer killed 602,350 Americans in 2020.
According to the report's authors, much of the progress made in fighting cancer has come from public health victories in lowering rates of smoking, a major risk factor for lung and other cancers, as well as boosting rates of early identification and treatment. In recent years, there have also been many newly authorized medications capable of treating tumors with few options.
The Food and Drug Administration has authorized eight novel anticancer medications in the previous year alone, including the first drug particularly designed to treat uveal melanoma, the most common form of eye cancer in humans. Furthermore, it has approved two novel compounds for cancer diagnosis and increased the usage of ten already approved treatments. The paper also emphasizes the development of AI-based detection systems that can assist doctors in detecting tumors earlier than ever before, giving patients a better chance of survival.
"Basic research discoveries have propelled the tremendous improvements in cancer care that we've witnessed in recent years," AACR President Lisa M. Coussen said in a statement. "Targeted medicines, immunotherapy, and other innovative clinical therapeutic methods all come from foundational findings in basic science."
As fantastic as this news is, there are still numerous obstacles to keeping individuals cancer-free. The scientists believe that one in every four malignancies is caused by potentially avoidable risk factors such as smoking, poor nutrition, or a lack of physical exercise. And, while many disparities in cancer risk and death across different populations of Americans have narrowed over time, they still exist. In 2000, the total cancer death rate in Black people was 26% higher than in white people, and it was 13% higher in 2019.
The paper also cites recent events like as the covid-19 outbreak and the repeal of Roe v Wade as potential roadblocks in the fight against cancer. The pandemic is considered to have reduced preventative screening rates, which means that some cancers were overlooked before they became life-threatening. The authors claim that the denial of reproductive rights in some jurisdictions may cause some women to postpone cancer treatment in order to avoid the danger of terminating their pregnancy. While new cancer treatments may be able to treat previously incurable cancers, they are typically prohibitively expensive, preventing many patients from accessing them.
The authors have suggested a set of policy solutions to address these current and future difficulties. They include boosting basic research funding for government institutions such as the National Cancer Institute, fully supporting President Biden's National Cancer Moonshot project to drastically cut cancer mortality over the next 25 years, and extending Medicaid coverage.
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SOURCE: gizmodo
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