Today, Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) released its Annual National Report Card on Lung Cancer, an overall assessment of the nation's response to the continuing high mortality of lung cancer, the leading cancer killer.
"We are heartened to note progress in some areas," said Laurie Fenton-Ambrose, President and CEO of LCA, which issues the Annual Report Card, "but overall we are still not seeing a sense of urgency nor a comprehensive and coordinated federal strategy to reduce lung cancer's mortality."
2010 marks the 6th year of the release of the National Report Card on Lung Cancer, issued each November during Lung Cancer Awareness Month. The 2010 National Report Card is distributed each year to public health and policy leaders, media, Members of Congress and other elected officials.
The 2010 National Report Card again issued failing grades for lack of progress in reducing lung cancer's high mortality rates, in reversing stigma and blame associated with lung cancer, and in failing to increase early detection rates of the disease.
The 2010 National Report Card noted some progress from last year in the Diagnosis and Treatment category, acknowledging improvements in better identifying tumor mutations that have a higher response rate for certain targeted therapies.
The 2010 National Report Card adds a new category, National Network, which received a high passing grade.
"The building of a first-ever national network calling for a compassionate and comprehensive plan of action for lung cancer is a fresh and exciting development," continued Fenton-Ambrose. "We applaud the growing number of medical institutions and associations, women's health and minority organizations, social justice, and military and veteran's organizations joining LCA to reverse decades of stigma and neglect too long attached to lung cancer," said Fenton Ambrose. "And we look forward to growing these ranks in the weeks ahead."
The 2010 National Report Card also noted improvements in the Overall Federal Commitment, reflecting continued congressional support for lung cancer research funding through the Department of Defense and increasing support in both the United States Senate and House of Representatives for The Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act, which would require a multi-agency, comprehensive federal plan of action to address lung cancer.
View the 2010 National Report Card in its entirety at www.LungCancerAlliance.org.
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