Defense Department to Fund Lung Cancer Program

[Barb73]

http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/s ... aily5.html

ARTICLE:

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Congress has approved $20 million for a new lung cancer research program at the Department of Defense.

President Bush is expected to sign the bill containing the new program, and the funding will be available in fiscal year 2009, which begins Oct. 1.

The bill requires the Army to provide a plan for how the $20 million will be spent and submit that plan to Congress within 120 days after the bill is signed.

Congress started funding cancer research programs through DOD in the mid-1990s with a $25 million appropriation for breast cancer. But this is the first time a lung cancer research program has been added.

“This is our top priority; this is the turning point. It is a breakthrough that lung cancer patients, their families and caregivers have been waiting for,” said Laurie Fenton-Ambrose, Lung Cancer Alliance president and chief executive. “By setting up this new program, Congress is finally acknowledging that the situation is urgent and that more research must be focused on lung cancer which is causing more deaths each year than breast, prostate and colon cancers combined.”

The new program, aimed to speed up improvements in the detection, diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer, will be administered and funded by the DOD.

The legislation notes that lung cancer is the most lethal of all cancers, taking more lives each year than all other major cancers combined, and that military personnel have heightened exposure to lung cancer carcinogens.

More than 215,000 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer in the U.S. this year, and most will die in less than a year.

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(Washington Business Journal, September 29, 2008)

Disclaimer:

The information contained in these articles may or may not be in agreement with my own opinions. They are not posted as medical advice of any kind.

[Donna G]

THIS is so appropriate. Wish they had this at all VA centers also. Years ago men could only take a break in the service IF they had cigarettes and took a "smoke". They sold cigarettes cheep for them "no taxes" on board ships and at the px stores. Now all these young men have "grown up" near at at retirement and all too many have or will have lung cancer.

DOD should take care of these guys and their families . I know , I am one of those wives.

Donna G

[Barb73]

Yes, Donna, I totally agree with you.

Bill was a Marine, over in Korea, when they dropped cigarettes out of planes for them. At first, he used to give them to others (because he didn't smoke at that time) in exchange for the chocolate they also offered in packs. When no one wanted the chocolate, he began smoking the cigarettes.

We might say that his initiation to smoking began when in a place where stress was a component.

I am glad to see this funding put in place. Hopefully, it will make a difference to many.

Barbara

[jaminkw]

Barbara, thanks so much for sharing this information. We cancer survivors appreciate all the hope we can get.

Judy in Key West

[Barb73]

Judy,

The one thing I hold onto - always - is hope. Hope is the base.

We never know when or how the answers will gel together to make a whole new landscape.

I remember when HIV/AIDS was a death sentence. Many are now living longer and longer. Initially, all we saw was an obliteration of people by that virus.

When I was a girl, children and adults died, or were badly crippled from Polio (back then, it was called infantile paralysis).

There are still people who were children when they were hit by that disease, and are burdened by its effects.

Cancer may be a compilation of a couple of hundred diseases, but we must never fall into being so closed minded as to thinking that there aren't safer and more effective treatments, or that a cure is impossible.

Sometimes, we just don't know all the answers. It doesn't mean they aren't there.

When my father was in his forties, he was operated on and had 2/3 of his stomach removed due to a duodenal ulcer.

Today, they treat that with powerful antibiotics. They discovered the cause of the disease - H. Pylori (bacteria).

The landscape will continue to change regarding this disease. We are an innovative people. Researchers are working on it. Cancer is a nemesis in many cases right now, but .....

Barbara

[jaminkw]

Barbara, Amen to that. I'm old enough to remember all the above. It maid me recall that my cousin, 4 or 5 years my junior, had polio when she was just a kid. Don't remember anybody discussing lingering side effect but she's gone now. Died last year at age 59 of an anyurism (sp?)

Judy in Key West

[cat127]

When my father was in his forties, he was operated on and had 2/3 of his stomach removed due to a duodenal ulcer.

Today, they treat that with powerful antibiotics. They discovered the cause of the disease - H. Pylori (bacteria).

I have to add my little science trivia here. The Dr that postulated that ulcers were due to a bacterial infection was pretty much laughed at by the medical community. So, he did his own study with an N of 1, he infected himself with H pylori, and whaddya know, he got an ulcer.

I'm glad to hear the DoD is taking on lung cancer. Certainly they have done their part to promote smoking, I have a brother who smokes, and as he says it was one of the things he brought back from Viet Nam with him. Had a boyfriend who took up smoking for the same reason as said above, it was the only way he could leave the Navy hospital he worked in for a short break.

Also though, the DoD has funded a very active and successful research program into breast cancer. It's about time the spread the wealth around, so to speak.

[jaminkw]

cat, I had heard the story of the Dr who discovered the bacterial source of ulcers. My husband is one of those people who for years was told he had an ucler due to stress. He was cured with two rounds of anitbiotics.

Judy in Key West