The political 'war' on cancer began with the National Cancer Act of 1971, a United States federal law. The act was intended "to amend the Public Health Service Act so as to strengthen the National Cancer Institute in order to more effectively carry out the national effort against cancer". It was signed into law by then U.S. President Richard Nixon on December 23, 1971.
In 1973, cancer research led to a cold war incident, where co-operative samples of reported oncoviruses were discovered to be contaminated by HeLa.
In 1984, Harald zur Hausen discovered first HPV16 and then HPV18 responsible for approximately 70% of cervical cancers. For discovery that human papillomaviruses (HPV) cause human cancer, zur Hausen won a 2008 Nobel Prize.
Since 1971 the United States has invested over $200 billion on cancer research; that total includes money invested by public and private sectors and foundations.
Despite this substantial investment, the country has seen a five percent decrease in the cancer death rate (adjusting for size and age of the population) between 1950 and 2005. Longer life expectancy may be a contributing factor to this, as cancer rates and mortality rates increases significantly with age, more than three out of five cancers are diagnosed in people aged 65 and over.
In 1973, cancer research led to a cold war incident, where co-operative samples of reported oncoviruses were discovered to be contaminated by HeLa.
In 1984, Harald zur Hausen discovered first HPV16 and then HPV18 responsible for approximately 70% of cervical cancers. For discovery that human papillomaviruses (HPV) cause human cancer, zur Hausen won a 2008 Nobel Prize.
Since 1971 the United States has invested over $200 billion on cancer research; that total includes money invested by public and private sectors and foundations.
Despite this substantial investment, the country has seen a five percent decrease in the cancer death rate (adjusting for size and age of the population) between 1950 and 2005. Longer life expectancy may be a contributing factor to this, as cancer rates and mortality rates increases significantly with age, more than three out of five cancers are diagnosed in people aged 65 and over.
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