The declaration of Cancer’s war

In 1970, the American people wanted a cure for the second-leading cause of death. President Nixon heard the voice of the people and the concerns of the medical profession. In his January 1971 State of the Union address, President Nixon made a special request for an additional $100 million to be added to the NCI budget for cancer research and decided to fight back. 40 years later we are still in the thick of the fight.

In number

Cancer is the second leading cause of death after heart disease in the United States. Lung cancer and prostate cancer are the top cancer killers for men whereas; lung cancer and breast cancer are the top cancer killers for women. Half of men and 1 out of 3  women will be diagnosed with cancer at some time during his or her lifetime. Cancer is the primary cause of death in women between the ages of 35 and 74. About 8,000 American children will be diagnosed with cancer this year and cancer is the chief cause of death in children between the ages of 1 and 14.

Politically, a move

While last year President Bush was going to veto against, President Barack Obama has permitted the House of representatives to pass the legislation that would give the FDA key controls over the tobacco industry for the first time. The FDA will regulate the contents of tobacco products, make their ingredients public, prohibit flavoring, impose much larger warning labels and strictly control or prohibit marketing campaigns, especially those geared towards children.
What is left for us; Lifestyle and food

The report by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research shows that there is  more and more convincing evidence about relation between how we live, what we eat and our individual risk of cancer. The recommendations outlined were  maintaining a reasonable body weight, being physically active, and making healthy food choices.