Four experts give their assessment on how advances in technology and science will transform oncology care over the coming decade and beyond.
The profound progress in cancer care since President Richard Nixon signed the National Cancer Act of 1971 into law is evidenced by the soaring number of cancer survivors since the law went into effect. In the 1970s, there were 3 million cancer survivors;[1] today, there are more than 18 million, and that number is expected to climb to 26 million by 2040.[2]
In addition, advances in cancer treatment over the past 3 decades, along with smoking cessation and earlier detection for some cancers, have resulted in a steady drop in cancer mortality, preventing more than 4 million deaths in the United States since 1991.[3] However, despite this improvement, cancer remains an insidious disease that, in 2024, is expected to take the lives of over 611,000 individuals in the United States – and nearly 10 million globally.[4] Continue reading