The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) has released its 2014 Progress Report. This is the fourth report that chronicles the progress that has been made against cancer, describes how the NIH and NCI are transforming lives by funding research, and highlights new approaches to achieve better outcomes for patients.
Sanford-Burnham’s Cancer Center is one of seven NCI-designated basic cancer research centers in the nation. We have more than 500 scientists collaboratively working on more than 150 cancer research projects to generate approaches to preventing, diagnosing, and treating this often-deadly disease.
Here, we share some interesting highlights from the report:
- An estimated 14.5million cancer survivors are alive today in the Unites States.
- Cancer remains the leading cause of disease-related death among children in the United States.
- More than 50 percent of cancers are diagnosed in people age 65 or older.
- Ninety percent of cancer deaths are a result of metastasis.
- Up to one third of cancer diagnoses in the United States are related to being overweight or obese, physical inactivity, and/or poor dietary habits.
- Six new cancer drugs were approved in the last 12 months.
- Research discoveries continue to advance precision medicine: Five of the six new anticancer drugs are molecularly targeted agents.
- Two cancer imaging agents and one screening test were approved in the past year.
- Cancer genomics research is the foundation for novel clinical trials designed to accelerate the pace at which new therapeutics are approved for patient care.
- Cancer immunotherapeutics are continuing to yield remarkable, long-lasting patient responses in several types of cancer.