AACR Cancer Progress Report 2011

A Message from the AACR

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the National Cancer Act of 1971. This legislation was historic and dramatic in its consequences because it focused the country’s attention on the vital need to conquer this disease at the earliest possible time.

The AACR and its 33,000 laboratory, translational and clinical researchers; other health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries, believe it to be a fitting time not only to commemorate the advances in cancer research that have been made to date, but also to paint a picture of where the science is leading us.

Today the United States leads the world in biomedical research. The impressive progress highlighted in this report, and most importantly that which is reflected in the 12 million cancer survivors alive today in the U.S. alone, is due in large part to the wisdom that the Congress has shown by its strategic investments in the research grant programs of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The many breakthroughs that are transforming the prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancer represent an unprecedented return on investment that can be measured in lives saved, higher quality of life for cancer survivors and enormous economic benefit to our country and indeed the world.

Recent advances in understanding cancer at the molecular level have set the stage for a new era of cancer medicine, in which cancer patients will be treated based on their molecular profile. This report provides “snapshots” of some of the key scientific and clinical advances against cancer that have brought us to this point, as well as a glimpse of what the future could hold for cancer patients and their families provided that research is supported with the necessary resources.

Hard-fought progress over the past 40 years by the entire cancer research community — laboratory researchers, physician-scientists, clinicians, cancer survivors and patient advocates, citizen activists, philanthropic organizations, scientific and clinical societies, government, academia, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, and cancer patients themselves — now provides unprecedented opportunities to translate current discoveries of the critical molecular changes that drive cancer into improved patient care. Although we are on the cusp of furthering our ability to exploit these exciting findings for the benefit of patients, our ability to do so will depend on a strong commitment by Congress to provide the necessary funding for the NIH and NCI.

Millions of current and future cancer patients are relying on us all to change the face of cancer on their behalf. We should ask no less of ourselves at this critical juncture. Cancer touches all of us, whether directly as a cancer patient or through the diagnosis of loved ones. Therefore, we need to intensify our efforts to eradicate cancer as a major threat to American lives.

The AACR recognizes that Congress is being called upon to make difficult decisions as its members strive to address the nation’s fiscal problems. These demanding times emphasize the need to make fiscal decisions that benefit every American. Sustaining our investments in cancer and biomedical research is a bipartisan strategy that will pay off in lives saved, improvements in public health, continued innovation and economic growth.

The AACR wishes to extend thanks to every member of Congress – past and present – who has stood with us in this long and difficult challenge to defeat cancer. We stand unified and ready to work with our Nation’s policymakers and the entire biomedical research community to hasten the prevention and cure of cancer.

AACR Immediate Past President

AACR President

Chair, AACR Council of Scientific Advisors

Chair, AACR Science Policy and Legislative Affairs Committee

Member, AACR Science Policy and Legislative Affairs Committee

Chief Executive Officer