AACR applauds Senate leaders for recognizing importance of cancer research

The AACR applauds leaders of the bipartisan Senate Cancer Coalition for reinforcing the importance of cancer research this May, in honor of National Cancer Research Month.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) introduced a Congressional resolution that recognizes the importance of cancer research and declares May "National Cancer Research Month." Feinstein and Hutchison sent a letter to their Senate colleagues, urging them to cosponsor the resolution "in celebration and support of this life-saving work."

Ten additional senators served as original cosponsors of the resolution, including Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Robert Casey (D-Pa.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.).

"We are deeply grateful to Senators Feinstein, Hutchison and all the cosponsors of this resolution for their unstinting leadership in the support of cancer research," said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer of the AACR. "These dedicated Congressional leaders clearly understand the need to continue and indeed strengthen the nation's efforts against the 200 diseases we call cancer. We must pursue every avenue to conquer cancer with a sense of urgency, and research in preventing, detecting and treating cancer is essential to public health."

The resolution recognizes the scientists and clinicians across the United States dedicated to fighting cancer and highlights key cancer statistics. Among them, the resolution notes that the five-year survival rate for all cancers combined has increased from 50 percent to 65 percent during the past 30 years. While there are currently 12 million cancer survivors in the United States, more than 500,000 Americans die from cancer each year.

The AACR believes that it is vitally important to underscore the value of cancer research at this juncture, as there are many promising developments against cancer in the pipeline just waiting to be translated for the good of cancer patients.