Obama promises cure for cancer

[Guest guest]

Echoing the words of former President Nixon almost 40 years earlier,

President Barack Obama last week expressed his commitment to launching a new

effort to find " a cure for cancer in our time. " Cancer was mentioned only

briefly in Obama's first speech to Congress, but it was a hopeful sign to many

in the worlds of science and medicine who hope renewed attention will lead to a

better-funded national effort to fight a scourge expected to kill 560,000

Americans this year.

" The president has challenged the cancer community to find a cure, " said Dr.

Schilsky, associate dean for clinical research at the University of

Chicago. " Hopefully, it comes with sufficient support for expanded research so

we have the resources we need to step up to that challenge. " When Nixon asked

Congress for funds to fight cancer in 1971, scientists did not fully understand

the complexities of the disease. Recent advances in genetics and genomics have

helped uncover some of cancer's secrets, leading to new potential tools for

treatment and early detection. Cancer research: Promising areas.

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