50 Year Anniversary Of War On Cancer

A microscopic look at Alzheimer’s Disease

It was fifty years ago when President Richard Nixon declared a war against cancer when he signed the National Cancer Act while simultaneously increasing funding for cancer research.  At the time, President Nixon said if we could put a man on the moon in eight years, we should be able to do the same with curing cancer.  Unfortunately, it’s easier said than done.  About 600K Americans still die from cancer each year and we are a long ways from finding an outright cure.  However, that’s not to say that progress hasn’t been made.  Over the past 50 years, death rates dropped by 70% for childhood cancers, 56% for colorectal cancer and 39% for female breast cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.  Sadly, painful cancers like pancreatic cancer and glioblastoma—a horrible kind of brain cancer—remain nearly as deadly as they were during Nixon’s rein.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2021/12/23/cancer-war-screening-genetics/6430979001/?gnt-cfr=1

Cancer Screening Is Not Just For Seniors

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is now recommending lowering the recommended age for colon and rectal cancer screening from age 50 to age 45.  Colorectal cancer recently took the life of “Black Panther” movie star Chadwick Boseman.  He was just 43.  Under the Affordable Care Act, most health insurers would be required to cover the additional screening after the recommendation becomes final, following a one month public comment period.