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Cancer 2015

On August 12, 2005 the National Cancer Institute announced guidelines for an ambitious program to eliminate lung cancer by the year 2015 following their proposal to eliminate suffering and death from all cancers by 2015.

The plan emphasizes:

  • Encouraging the public to get screenings more often
  • Better understanding the mechanisms that cause cancer
  • Encouraging expanded drug development
  • More research into factors that determine patient outcomes
  • Improve quality of cancer care with more effective treatments 

While the agency heavily emphasized reducing smoking and educating the public on the risks of tobacco use, it is acknowledged that the elimination of asbestos is an important component of their plan.

Asbestos exposure causes numerous cancer deaths every year from mesothelioma and other conditions. While a number of industrialized nations have banned it, the United States and other nations still allow it to be used.

The National Cancer Institute was established in 1937 by the federal government as an independent research organization and has sponsored the development of a number of medicines and treatments that have saved countless lives.