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Progress Against Cancer

Home Patients, Caregivers, and Advocates Progress Against Cancer Research Page 111

Recent Progress

Colorectal Cancer: Preventive Measures, a New Treatment Approach, and Mortality Disparities

Colorectal Cancer: Preventive Measures, a New Treatment Approach, and Mortality Disparities

The incidence of colorectal cancer – the fourth most common cancer diagnosed in the United States – has been steadily declining since the late 1990s. Despite this decrease, it is estimated that the lifetime risk of developing the disease is roughly one in 20 for those living in the United States. If the cancer is caught early when it is still localized, the five-year relative survival is almost 90 percent. However, if diagnosed after it has metastasized, the five-year relative survival is less than 15 percent.

Marching Forward on Multiple Fronts: March is Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month

Marching Forward on Multiple Fronts: March is Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month

Multiple myeloma is a cancer of antibody-producing cells – called plasma cells – that accounts for approximately 1.8 percent of new cancer cases in the United States. Although it is a relatively uncommon cancer, those who are diagnosed face a five-year survival rate of only 52 percent. Patients who are diagnosed at an early stage generally have a better prognosis; however, almost all patients are diagnosed after the cancer has progressed to a more advanced stage.

Kidney Cancer: Examining Risk Factors and Recently Approved Treatments

Kidney Cancer: Examining Risk Factors and Recently Approved Treatments

A highly complex filtering system, the kidneys process roughly half a cup of blood every minute, isolating waste and returning minerals and nutrients to the bloodstream. Renal cell carcinoma, a cancer that develops in the lining of the renal tubules, is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults, representing 85 percent of kidney and ureter cancers. Other types of kidney and ureter cancer can develop in the renal pelvis, the funnel where urine flows from the kidney to the bladder.