Lance Armstrong, top doctors launch cancer quest

	Tweet

Cyclist and testicular cancer survivor Lance Armstrong joined forces with four former U.S. surgeons general on Wednesday to urge Americans to do more to prevent cancer and get recommended screening tests.

Armstrong, a seven-time winner of the Tour de France, said the United States needs to make more progress against the various types of cancer.

“As a survivor, I think I can say this—we have taken our eye off the ball,” Armstrong told a news conference along with former surgeons general Richard Carmona, David Satcher, Joycelyn Elders and Antonia Novello.

Cancer is the No. 2 cause of death in the United States, and is expected to kill about 566,000 this year. Only heart disease kills more.

At Armstrong’s request, the four doctors developed a national “call to action” against cancer that emphasizes prevention efforts such as not smoking, eating more fruit and vegetables, getting less fat in the diet, getting more exercise, using sunscreen and avoiding indoor tanning beds.

It also encourages people to get recommended cancer screening tests such as mammograms for breast cancer to detect tumors early when they respond best to treatment. And it emphasized the need to provide better care for the roughly 12 million cancer survivors in the United States.

“The war on cancer begins with prevention,” Carmona said. “Today, we have a better understanding about how cancer works and have developed tools for better screening, diagnosis and treatment. Half of all new cancer cases could be prevented or detected earlier when they are most treatable.”

Their plan is on the Internet at http://www.NCTAcancer.org.

The cancer death rate for men has fallen by 18.4 percent since peaking in 1990 and for women has fallen by 10.5 percent since peaking in 1991, the American Cancer Society said.

The declines have been driven by improved treatment and screening methods as well as progress toward prevention such as declining smoking rates, the organization said.

The post of surgeon general, the nation’s top doctor, has been unfilled since Carmona finished his term in 2006.

By Will Dunham
WASHINGTON (Reuters)

RELATED STORIES:
Canisius College and Roswell Park Cancer Institute Launch “Check Yo Nutz” Testicular Cancer Awareness Campaign   Birth weight tied to testicular cancer risk   Heat Therapy for Cancer May be Key to “Lance Armstrong Effect”   Researchers Discover Genetic Risk Factor for Testicular Cancer   Relatives of boys with sexual birth defects not at risk for testicular germ cell cancer   Spike in testicular cancer is focus   Scientists find genes linked to testicular cancer   Testicular Cancer Gauge Often Not Used   Marijuana Use Linked to Increased Risk of Testicular Cancer   Testicular cancer survivors may face lung problems   Long-term testicular cancer survivors at high risk for neurological side effects   Testicular cancer may raise risk of heart attack   Drug avoids radiation for early testicular cancer   Comic Books Featuring ‘Super Heroes’ Educate Young Men About Testicular Cancer   Second gene linked to familial testicular cancer   Treatment not testicular cancer poses greatest risk to survivors’ long-term health   Fetal Exposure to Radiation Increases Risk of Testicular Cancer   Couples more likely to divorce if spouse develops cervical or testicular cancer   Testicular cancer deaths double with after 40 diagnosis

Comments

[ + Post Your Own ]

Now you're in the public comment zone. What follows is not Armenian Medical Network's stuff; it comes from other people and we don't vouch for it. A reminder: By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.

There are no comments for this entry yet. [ + Comment here + ]