Clinical Cancer Advances 2007: Major Research Advances in Cancer Treatment, Prevention, and Screening—A Report From the American Society of Clinical Oncology

2008 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 313-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Gralow ◽  
Robert F. Ozols ◽  
Dean F. Bajorin ◽  
Bruce D. Cheson ◽  
Howard M. Sandler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Research ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Clinical Oncology ◽  
Major Research ◽  
Clinical Cancer Research ◽  
The Past ◽  
Clinical Cancer ◽  
American Society

A MESSAGE FROM ASCO'S PRESIDENTFor the third year, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is publishing Clinical Cancer Advances: Major Research Advances in Cancer Treatment, Prevention, and Screening, an annual review of the most significant cancer research presented or published over the past year. ASCO publishes this report to demonstrate the important progress being made on the front lines of clinical cancer research today. The report is intended to give all those with an interest in cancer care—the general public, cancer patients and organizations, policymakers, oncologists, and other medical professionals—an accessible summary of the year's most important cancer research advances. These pages report on the use of magnetic resonance imaging for breast cancer screening, the association between hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer incidence, the link between human papillomavirus and head and neck cancers, and the use of radiation therapy to prevent lung cancer from spreading. They also report on effective new targeted therapies for cancers that have been historically difficult to treat, such as liver cancer and kidney cancer, among many others. A total of 24 advances are featured in this year's report. These advances and many more over the past several years show that the nation's long-term investment in cancer research is paying off. But there are disturbing signs that progress could slow. We are now in the midst of the longest sustained period of flat government funding for cancer research in history. The budgets for the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have been unchanged for four years. When adjusted for inflation, cancer research funding has actually declined 12% since 2004. These budget constraints limit the NCI's ability to fund promising cancer research. In the past several years the number of grants that the NCI has been able to fund has significantly decreased; this year, in response to just the threat of a 10% budget cut, the nation's Clinical Trials Cooperative Groups reduced the number of patients participating in clinical trials by almost 2,000 and senior researchers report that many of the brightest young minds no longer see the promise of a career in science, choosing other careers instead. It's time to renew the nation's commitment to cancer research. Without additional support, the opportunity to build on the extraordinary progress to date will be lost or delayed. This report demonstrates the essential role that clinical cancer research plays in finding new and better ways to care for the more than 1.4 million people expected to be diagnosed with cancer this year. I want to thank the Editorial Board members, the Specialty Editors, and the ASCO Cancer Communications Committee for their dedicated work to develop this report. I hope you find it useful. Sincerely, Nancy E. Davidson, MD President American Society of Clinical Oncology

Clinical Cancer Advances 2006: Major Research Advances in Cancer Treatment, Prevention, and Screening—A Report From the American Society of Clinical Oncology

2007 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 146-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert F. Ozols ◽  
Roy S. Herbst ◽  
Yolonda L. Colson ◽  
Julie Gralow ◽  
James Bonner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Cancer Research ◽  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Clinical Oncology ◽  
The United States ◽  
Myelogenous Leukemia ◽  
Major Research ◽  
The Past ◽  
Clinical Cancer ◽  
American Society

A MESSAGE FROM ASCO’s PRESIDENTFor the second consecutive year, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is publishing Clinical Cancer Advances: Major Research Advances in Cancer Treatment, Prevention, and Screening, an annual review of the most significant cancer research presented or published over the past year. ASCO developed this report to demonstrate the enormous progress being made on the front lines of cancer research today. The report is intended to give all those with an interest in cancer care—the general public, cancer patients and physicians, policymakers, oncologists, and other medical professionals—an accessible summary of the year's most important cancer research advances. These pages report on new targeted therapies that are improving survival and response rates in hard-to-treat cancers such as kidney cancer, HER-2–positive breast cancer, head and neck cancer, and chronic myelogenous leukemia; the FDA’s approval of the world's first preventive vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV), which has the potential to dramatically reduce the global burden of cervical cancer; and advances in the fast-growing field of personalized medicine, including a new lung cancer test that could help physicians better target treatments and predict prognosis. These advances are only part of the landscape. Survival rates are on the rise, the number of cancer deaths in the United States began declining for the first time since 1930, and new research is showing that the rates of certain common cancers, such as those of the breast and colon, have stabilized, and may have even begun to decline. However, cancer research still faces a number of major obstacles. At a time of extraordinary scientific potential, declining federal funding of cancer research threatens to stall or even reverse recent progress. Such funding cuts have already led to fewer clinical trials, fewer talented young physicians entering the field, and a growing bottleneck of basic science discoveries waiting to be “translated” into useful therapies and diagnostics. In addition to highlighting the major research advances over the past year, this report also identifies key barriers to accelerating the pace of cancer research and outlines ASCO's recommendations for overcoming them. Despite these and other challenges, there is much good news on the front lines of cancer research. This report demonstrates the essential role of clinical cancer research in finding new and better ways to treat, diagnose, and prevent a group of diseases that strike half of men and one-third of women in the United States. I want to thank the Editorial Board members, the Specialty Editors, and the ASCO Cancer Communications Committee and Cancer Research Committee for their dedicated work to develop this report. I hope you find it useful. Sincerely, Gabriel N. Hortobagyi, MD, FACP President American Society of Clinical Oncology

Clinical Cancer Advances 2013: Annual Report on Progress Against Cancer From the American Society of Clinical Oncology

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jyoti D. Patel ◽  
Lada Krilov ◽  
Sylvia Adams ◽  
Carol Aghajanian ◽  
Ethan Basch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Research ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Clinical Oncology ◽  
Cancer Survival ◽  
Annual Report ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
The Past ◽  
Clinical Cancer ◽  
American Society

A MESSAGE FROM ASCO'S PRESIDENTSince its founding in 1964, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has been committed to improving cancer outcomes through research and the delivery of quality care. Research is the bedrock of discovering better treatments—providing hope to the millions of individuals who face a cancer diagnosis each year.The studies featured in “Clinical Cancer Advances 2013: Annual Report on Progress Against Cancer From the American Society of Clinical Oncology” represent the invaluable contributions of thousands of patients who participate in clinical trials and the scientists who conduct basic and clinical research. The insights described in this report, such as how cancers hide from the immune system and why cancers may become resistant to targeted drugs, enable us to envision a future in which cancer will be even more controllable and preventable.The scientific process is thoughtful, deliberate, and sometimes slow, but each advance, while helping patients, now also points toward new research questions and unexplored opportunities. Both dramatic and subtle breakthroughs occur so that progress against cancer typically builds over many years. Success requires vision, persistence, and a long-term commitment to supporting cancer research and training.Our nation's longstanding investment in federally funded cancer research has contributed significantly to a growing array of effective new treatments and a much deeper understanding of the drivers of cancer. But despite this progress, our position as a world leader in advancing medical knowledge and our ability to attract the most promising and talented investigators are now threatened by an acute problem: Federal funding for cancer research has steadily eroded over the past decade, and only 15% of the ever-shrinking budget is actually spent on clinical trials. This dismal reality threatens the pace of progress against cancer and undermines our ability to address the continuing needs of our patients.Despite this extremely challenging economic environment, we continue to make progress. Maintaining and accelerating that progress require that we keep our eyes on the future and pursue a path that builds on the stunning successes of the past. We must continue to show our policymakers the successes in cancer survival and quality of life (QOL) they have enabled, emphasizing the need to sustain our national investment in the remarkably productive US cancer research enterprise.We must also look to innovative methods for transforming how we care for—and learn from—patients with cancer. Consider, for example, that fewer than 5% of adult patients with cancer currently participate in clinical trials. What if we were able to draw lessons from the other 95%? This possibility led ASCO this year to launch CancerLinQ, a groundbreaking health information technology initiative that will provide physicians with access to vast quantities of clinical data about real-world patients and help achieve higher quality, higher value cancer care.As you read the following pages, I hope our collective progress against cancer over the past year inspires you. More importantly, I hope the pride you feel motivates you to help us accelerate the pace of scientific advancement.Clifford A. Hudis, MD, FACPPresidentAmerican Society of Clinical Oncology

Clinical Cancer Advances 2011: Annual Report on Progress Against Cancer From the American Society of Clinical Oncology

2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas J. Vogelzang ◽  
Steven I. Benowitz ◽  
Sylvia Adams ◽  
Carol Aghajanian ◽  
Susan Marina Chang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Research ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Clinical Oncology ◽  
Cancer Care ◽  
Learning System ◽  
Rapid Learning ◽  
The Past ◽  
Clinical Cancer ◽  
American Society

A MESSAGE FROM ASCO'S PRESIDENT It has been forty years since President Richard Nixon signed the National Cancer Act of 1971, which many view as the nation's declaration of the “War on Cancer.” The bill has led to major investments in cancer research and significant increases in cancer survival. Today, two-thirds of patients survive at least five years after being diagnosed with cancer compared with just half of all diagnosed patients surviving five years after diagnosis in 1975. The research advances detailed in this year's Clinical Cancer Advances demonstrate that improvements in cancer screening, treatment, and prevention save and improve lives. But although much progress has been made, cancer remains one of the world's most serious health problems. In the United States, the disease is expected to become the nation's leading cause of death in the years ahead as our population ages. I believe we can accelerate the pace of progress, provided that everyone involved in cancer care works together to achieve this goal. It is this viewpoint that has shaped the theme for my presidential term: Collaborating to Conquer Cancer. In practice, this means that physicians and researchers must learn from every patient's experience, ensure greater collaboration between members of a patient's medical team, and involve more patients in the search for cures through clinical trials. Cancer advocates, insurers, and government agencies also have important roles to play. Today, we have an incredible opportunity to improve the quality of cancer care by drawing lessons from the real-world experiences of patients. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is taking the lead in this area, in part through innovative use of health information technology. In addition to our existing quality initiatives, ASCO is working with partners to develop a comprehensive rapid-learning system for cancer care. When complete, this system will provide physicians with personalized, real-time information that can inform the care of every patient with cancer as well as connect patients with their entire medical teams. The rapid learning system will form a continuous cycle of learning: securely capturing data from every patient at the point of care, drawing on evidence-based guidelines, and evaluating quality of care against those standards and the outcomes of other patients. Clinical trials are another area in which collaboration is critical. Increasing clinical trial participation will require commitment across the cancer community from physicians, patients, insurers, hospitals, and industry. A 2010 report by the Institute of Medicine described challenges to participation in trials by both physicians and patients and provided recommendations for revitalizing clinical trials conducted through the National Cancer Institute's Cooperative Group Program. ASCO has pledged its support for the full implementation of these recommendations. More broadly, ASCO recently outlined a bold vision for translational and clinical cancer research for the next decade and made recommendations to achieve that vision. Accelerating Progress Against Cancer: ASCO's Blueprint for Transforming Clinical and Translational Research, released in November, calls for a research system that takes full advantage of today's scientific and technologic opportunities and sets a high-level agenda for policy makers, regulators, and advocates. Cancer research has transformed cancer care in the past forty years, and this year's Clinical Cancer Advances illustrates how far we have come in the past year alone. We now have a tremendous opportunity to use today's knowledge and collaborate across all facets of cancer care to conquer this deadly disease. Michael P. Link, MD President American Society of Clinical Oncology

Clinical Cancer Advances 2009: Major Research Advances in Cancer Treatment, Prevention, and Screening—A Report From the American Society of Clinical Oncology

2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (35) ◽  
pp. 6052-6069 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas J. Petrelli ◽  
Eric P. Winer ◽  
Julie Brahmer ◽  
Sarita Dubey ◽  
Sonali Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Cancer Research ◽  
Clinical Research ◽  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Clinical Oncology ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Clinical Cancer Research ◽  
Clinical Cancer ◽  
American Society

A MESSAGE FROM ASCO'S PRESIDENT As this report demonstrates—and as history shows—investment in clinical cancer research pays off. Since 1990, cancer mortality rates have declined by 15%. Today, two thirds of patients survive at least 5 years after diagnosis, compared with just half of patients 40 years ago. Patient quality of life has improved dramatically. In addition, thanks to basic research advances, we are entering an era of personalized cancer medicine, in which treatment is tailored to the unique genetics of the individual. Clinical cancer research is finally receiving an urgently needed boost in investment. For the first time in 5 years, federal funding for research has increased. The economic stimulus package infused billions into short-term biomedical research projects, and President Obama has pledged to invest in “a cure for cancer in our time.” However, despite this progress, cancer remains the number-two killer of Americans. Incidence is projected to nearly double by 2020 as the population grows and ages. Scientifically, cancer is highly complex; it is not one disease, but many, and is increasingly defined by thousands of genetic variations, epigenetic changes, post-transcriptional modifications, and combinations of these mechanisms, rather than by site of origin. Unraveling these complexities begins to explain why some cancers are especially resistant to treatment, a fact we have known for some time. Other cancers are fatal because they are typically diagnosed late in the course of disease, when treatment is less effective. To achieve new breakthroughs, the scale of the national response must match the scale of the problem. Years of flat federal research funding have resulted in abandoned or stalled clinical research projects, a deteriorating research infrastructure, and the loss of talented physicians to other fields. In this report, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) commends the recent increases in funding and calls on Congress to make a multiyear commitment to sustained increases in clinical cancer research at the National Institutes of Health and National Cancer Institute. Major advances in cancer treatment cannot be expected to emerge without consistent and predictable investment at the federal level. Although a robust clinical research enterprise is essential to improving patient care, advances mean little if they do not reach people in need. For people with cancer, lack of health insurance can be the difference between life and death. It is estimated that 32% of patients with cancer in the United States are uninsured at some point during their treatment, and more than a quarter opt not to seek treatment as a result. We must end the inequality in health care access. ASCO believes that health care reform must ensure that everyone diagnosed with cancer has the coverage necessary to receive high-quality treatment. To that end, we have made access to cancer care a top priority in our advocacy agenda. I believe the advances described in this report should give all of us cause for hope. Although there is a long road ahead, by investing in a robust national clinical research program and by improving access to high-quality care, we can give every patient the best chance of survival. Douglas Blayney, MD President American Society of Clinical Oncology

Clinical Cancer Advances 2005: Major Research Advances in Cancer Treatment, Prevention, and Screening—A Report From the American Society of Clinical Oncology

2006 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 190-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy S. Herbst ◽  
Dean F. Bajorin ◽  
Harry Bleiberg ◽  
Diane Blum ◽  
Desirée Hao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Research ◽  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Clinical Oncology ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cancer Therapies ◽  
Major Research ◽  
Clinical Cancer ◽  
Targeted Cancer Therapies ◽  
Cancer Types ◽  
American Society

A MESSAGE FROM ASCO’s PRESIDENT This year, for the first time, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is publishing Clinical Cancer Advances 2005: Major Research Advances in Cancer Treatment, Prevention, and Screening, an annual review of the most significant clinical research presented or published over the past year across all cancer types. ASCO embarked on this project to provide the public, patients, policymakers, and physicians with an accessible summary of the year's most important research advances. While not intended to serve as a comprehensive review, this report provides a year-end snapshot of research that will have the greatest impact on patient care. As you will read, there is much good news from the front lines of cancer research. These pages report on new chemotherapy regimens that sharply reduce the risk of recurrence for very common cancers; the “coming of age” of targeted cancer therapies; promising studies of drugs to prevent cancer; and improvements in quality of life for people living with the disease, among many other advances. Survival rates for cancer are on the rise, increasing from 50% to 64% over the last 30 years. Cancer still exacts an enormous toll, however. Nearly 1.4 million Americans will be diagnosed this year, and some 570,000 will die of the disease. Clearly, more research is needed to find effective therapies for the most stubborn cancer types and stages. We need to know more about the long-term effects of newer, more targeted cancer therapies, some of which need to be taken over long periods of time. And we need to devote far greater attention to tracking and improving the care of the nearly 10 million cancer survivors in the United States today. Despite these and other challenges, the message of this report is one of hope. Through the dedicated, persistent pursuit of clinical research and participation in clinical trials by people with cancer, we steadily uncover new and better ways of treating, diagnosing, and preventing a disease that touches the lives of so many. I want to thank the Editorial Board members, the Specialty Editors, and the ASCO Cancer Communications Committee for their dedicated work to develop this report, and I hope you find it useful. Sincerely, Sandra J. Horning, MD President American Society of Clinical Oncology

scholarly journals How technology can help you to survive a meeting

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Fenner
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Research ◽  
Annual Meeting ◽  
Clinical Oncology ◽  
Clinical Cancer Research ◽  
Specific Research ◽  
Clinical Cancer ◽  
American Society

I'm currently in Chicago at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). This is a large meeting on clinical cancer research with about 30.000 people attending. Rather than writing about the specific research presented and discussed at the meeting, ...

The American Society of Clinical Oncology Cancer Foundation Grants Program: A 25-Year Report and a Look Toward the Future

2010 ◽  
Vol 28 (9) ◽  
pp. 1616-1621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer C. King ◽  
Theodore S. Lawrence ◽  
Sharon B. Murphy ◽  
Nancy E. Davidson ◽  
Robert J. Mayer
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Research ◽  
Clinical Oncology ◽  
Career Paths ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Young Investigator ◽  
Clinical Cancer Research ◽  
25Th Anniversary ◽  
Start Up ◽  
American Society ◽  
The Impact

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Grants Program began in 1984 with a single $16,000 grant to a young investigator for start-up research funding. In 2009, the Grants Program, now administered by The ASCO Cancer Foundation, awarded more than $6.5 million to 70 different investigators. This article, celebrating the 25th anniversary of this initiative, describes the history and evolution of the Grants Program, attempts to measure the impact of the program on clinical cancer research through an analysis of the career paths of past recipients, and addresses challenges that the program will face as it enters its second 25 years.

Clinical Cancer Advances 2010: Annual Report on Progress Against Cancer From the American Society of Clinical Oncology

2010 ◽  
Vol 28 (36) ◽  
pp. 5327-5347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark G. Kris ◽  
Steven I. Benowitz ◽  
Sylvia Adams ◽  
Lisa Diller ◽  
Patricia Ganz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Cancer Research ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Clinical Oncology ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cooperative Group ◽  
Institute Of Medicine ◽  
Group Program ◽  
American Society ◽  
The Right

A MESSAGE FROM ASCO'S PRESIDENT Like many health professionals who care for people with cancer, I entered the field because of specific patients who touched my heart. They still do. In an effort to weave together my personal view of what the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) stands for and the purpose the organization serves, my presidential theme this year is “Patients. Pathways. Progress.” Patients come first. Caring for patients is the most important, rewarding aspect of being an oncology professional. At its best, the relationship between doctor and patient is compassionate and honest—and a relationship of mutual respect. Many professional organizations have an interest in cancer, but no other society is so focused on the entire spectrum of cancer care, education, and research. Nor is any other society as particularly interested in bringing new treatments to our patients through clinical trials as ASCO is. Clinical trials are the crux for improving treatments for people with cancer and are critical for continued progress against the disease. “Pathways” has several meanings. Some pathways are molecular—like the cancer cell's machinery of destruction, which we have only begun to understand in recent years. But there are other equally important pathways, including the pathways new therapies follow as they move from bench to bedside and the pathways patients follow during the course of their diseases. Improved understanding of these pathways will lead to new approaches in cancer care, allowing doctors to provide targeted therapies that deliver improved, personalized treatment. The best pathway for patients to gain access to new therapies is through clinical trials. Trials conducted by the National Cancer Institute's Cooperative Group Program, a nationwide network of cancer centers and physicians, represent the United States' most important pathway for accelerating progress against cancer. This year, the Institute of Medicine released a report on major challenges facing the Cooperative Group Program. Chief among them is the fact that funding for the program has been nearly flat since 2002. ASCO has called for a doubling of funding for cooperative group research within five years and supports the full implementation of the Institute of Medicine recommendations to revitalize the program. ASCO harnesses the expertise and resources of its 28,000 members to bring all of these pathways together for the greater good of patients. Progress against cancer is being made every day—measurable both in our improved understanding of the disease and in our ability to treat it. A report issued in December 2009 by the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Cancer Society, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries found that rates of new diagnoses and rates of death resulting from all cancers combined have declined significantly in recent years for men and women overall and for most racial and ethnic populations in the United States. The pace of progress can be and needs to be hastened. Much remains to be done. Sustained national investment in cancer research is needed to bring better, more effective, less toxic treatments to people living with cancer. Pathways to progress continue in the clinic as doctors strive to find the right treatments for the right patients, to understand what represents the right treatments, and to partner with patients and caregivers for access to those treatments. This report demonstrates that significant progress is being made on the front lines of clinical cancer research. But although our nation's investment in this research is paying off, we must never forget the magnitude of what lies ahead. Cancer remains the number two killer of Americans. Future progress depends on continued commitment, from both ASCO and the larger medical community. George W. Sledge Jr, MD President American Society of Clinical Oncology

Clinical Cancer Advances 2012: Annual Report on Progress Against Cancer From the American Society of Clinical Oncology

2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce J. Roth ◽  
Lada Krilov ◽  
Sylvia Adams ◽  
Carol A. Aghajanian ◽  
Peter Bach ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Cancer Research ◽  
Clinical Oncology ◽  
Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Annual Report ◽  
The United States ◽  
Patient Specific ◽  
Molecular Characteristics ◽  
Clinical Cancer ◽  
American Society

A MESSAGE FROM ASCO'S PRESIDENTI am delighted to present you with “Clinical Cancer Advances 2012: Annual Report on Progress Against Cancer From the American Society of Clinical Oncology.” The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) uses this opportunity each year to share the steady progress occurring in our understanding and treatment of cancer. For 2012, we offer again an inspiring perspective on clinical cancer advances over the past year, but with a cautionary note: if current threats to federal funding materialize, future progress in cancer research will be seriously undermined.Continued progress against cancer. As you read the following pages of this report, I hope you will share my unabashed enthusiasm—and pride—in how far we have come. To appreciate what this progress has meant to the millions of people who receive a cancer diagnosis each year, consider the following: (1) two of three people in the United States live at least 5 years after a cancer diagnosis (up from roughly one of two in the 1970s); (2) the nation's cancer death rate has dropped 18% since the early 1990s, reversing decades of increases; and (3) individuals with cancer are increasingly able to live active, fulfilling lives because of better management of symptoms and treatments with fewer adverse effects.Importance of clinical cancer trials. These dramatic trends—and the advances highlighted in this report—would have been unthinkable without the engine that drives life-saving cancer treatment: clinical cancer research. Advances in technology and in our knowledge of how patient-specific molecular characteristics of the tumor and its environment fuel the growth of cancer have brought new hope to patients. Clinical trials are the key to translating cutting-edge laboratory discoveries into treatments that extend and improve the lives of those with cancer.But progress is only part of the story. Cancer remains a challenge, with many cancers undetected until their latest stages and others resisting most attempts at treatment. Tragically, cancer still kills more than 500,000 people in the United States every year, and its global burden is growing rapidly.Bridges to better care. To conquer cancer, we need to build bridges to the future—bridges that will get scientific advances to the patient's bedside quicker, bridges that will enable us to share information and learn what works in real time, and bridges that will improve care for all patients around the world.At ASCO, we recognize the unique role that oncologists must play. ASCO's “Accelerating Progress Against Cancer: Blueprint for Transforming Clinical and Translational Cancer Research,”1published last year, presents our vision and recommendations to make cancer research and patient care vastly more targeted, more efficient, and more effective. We have also launched a groundbreaking initiative, CancerLinQ, that aims to improve cancer care and speed research by drawing insights from the vast pool of data on patients in real-world settings.Renewing a national commitment to cancer research. We are on the threshold of major advances in cancer prevention, detection, and treatment—but only if, as a nation, we remain committed to this critical endeavor.The federally funded cancer research system is currently under threat by larger federal budget concerns. Clearly, Congress faces a complex budget environment, but now is not the time to retreat from our nation's commitment to conquering a disease that affects nearly all of us. Bold action must be taken to ensure that we can take full advantage of today's scientific and technologic opportunities.Please join me in celebrating our nation's progress against cancer and in recommitting ourselves to supporting cancer research. Millions of lives depend on it.Sandra M. Swain, MDPresidentAmerican Society of Clinical Oncology

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