What a way to celebrate National Colorectal Cancer Survivor’s Day – a huge meeting of researchers, cancer research advocates, healthcare professionals who take care of people with cancer at the Annual Meeting of the Association of Clinical Oncology in Chicago.
Over 12 million people in the US have been diagnosed with cancer and are alive, over 1 million with colon or rectal cancer.
We advocates for colorectal cancer research and awareness often say Colorectal Cancer is Preventable, Treatable, and Beatable. This is true for most other cancer as well.
- At ASCO 2012, we are hearing exciting reports of cancer prevention with lifestyle changes including diet, exercise, and not smoking. New medicines are being developed that can prevent cancer from developing (chemoprevention).
- New screening tests are available to find cancers before they can spread throughout the body (metastasize).
- Surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy put up more effective barriers to metastasis and cure many cancers.
- Finally, median survival times are increasing to treat cancers that can’t be cured but where patients can live longer and better.
We are surviving, living longer, feeling stronger. All of us are winners.
June 03, 2012 at 11:32 pm, Phil Waigand said:
Attended my third National Cancer Survivor Day as a cancer
survivor including my caregiver, my wife. It brings home how
many people have faced this challenge of dealing with cancer successfully
and how cancer support/resource groups have helped people in dealing with their cancer journey. .