LCA Hails Most Comprehensive Cancer Legislation Since 1971;

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Cites Breakthroughs for Lung Cancer

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stori ... 382&EDATE=

WASHINGTON, March 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Lung Cancer Alliance

President Laurie Fenton-Ambrose called the new comprehensive federal effort

on cancer research, early detection and new treatments, introduced in the

U.S. Senate today, "the most significant step forward in the past 35 years

for cancer initiatives."

The National Cancer Act of 2007, introduced by Senators Dianne

Feinstein (D-CA) and Sam Brownback (R-KS), is a far-ranging bill including

lung cancer early detection research, incentives to develop drugs that

prevent cancer and targeted therapies. It encourages new research into

environmental causes of cancer, education payments to bolster the numbers

of cancer researchers and care providers and Medicare coverage for

coordinators to help cancer patients navigate the complicated treatment

system. The bill authorizes a new lung cancer early detection research

program funded through the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and sets up

new incentives for the development of drugs that will treat precancerous

conditions to prevent cancer from developing.

Fenton-Ambrose highly praised the work of both Senators who are also

co- chairs of the Senate Cancer Caucus.

"We are deeply grateful for the enormous amount of time and energy that

Senators Feinstein, Brownback and their staff have devoted to this

comprehensive cancer initiative," said Fenton-Ambrose. "This bill is the

result of their years of study into the impact of cancer on our country and

recognizes the need to bring cancer research and treatment into the 21st

century. More importantly, they have recognized that lung cancer should not

be overlooked."

"We will not end death and suffering from cancer until we find new ways

to combat the leading cancer killer: lung cancer," said Senator Feinstein.

"This cancer may one day become a chronic, manageable illness, but meeting

this goal will require an investment in research and new strategies for

prevention and early detection."

"It is vital that we act today to address the most lethal cancer in

America -- lung cancer," said Senator Brownback. "This comprehensive,

bipartisan bill addresses the lung cancer epidemic in America with a two-

pronged strategy: through prevention of the onset of this disease using

chemopreventitive or cancer prevention drugs, and using a screening that

has shown to increase the survival rate of persons afflicted with lung

cancer from 15 percent to about 90 percent. As we move forward with these

efforts, we will keep in mind the legacies of those Americans we have

recently lost to lung cancer, such as the late Representative Charlie

Norwood."

"This could have a profound impact on lung cancer," added

Fenton-Ambrose, who noted that the bill calls for a broader collection of

specimens from cancer patients to accelerate the genomic mapping of the

most lethal cancers, including lung cancer.

The bill also requires the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to give

Congress a detailed report within six months of how they have spent their

funding over the past five years, with specifics on each cancer type, and

how NCI intends to reach its oft-proclaimed goal of "ending the pain and

suffering from cancer" by 2015.

"In every meeting we have had with the Director and other top officials

of NCI," concluded Fenton Ambrose. "We have been warning that the 2015 goal

cannot be met if research into lung cancer, which causes 30 percent of all

cancer deaths, remains so profoundly under funded."

The Lung Cancer Alliance (http://www.LungCancerAlliance.org) is the

only national non-profit organization solely dedicated to patient support

and advocacy for people living with, or at risk for, lung cancer. As the

number one cancer killer, lung cancer will kill more than 160,000 Americans

this year alone, causing more deaths than breast, prostate, colon, liver,

kidney cancers and melanoma combined.

CONTACT:

Kay Cofrancesco

Kcofrancesco@lungcanceralliance.org

202-744-1541