An Idea that has Contributed Greatly to Cancer Prevention

Paul A. Bunn, Jr., M.D.
Director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center
University of Colorado Denver

Congratulations on your Silver jubilee!  It has been a pleasure to be associated with the Prevent Cancer Foundation since its inception. It was a great idea then and it has contributed greatly to the fight against cancer, most importantly its prevention. Since lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the US and worldwide, it is imperative that we develop prevention strategies not only for smoking related lung cancers but also for non-smoking related lung cancers. We have made some progress as there have been remarkable declines in lung cancer deaths among men and the rates are no longer increasing among women. While a recent report showed that selenium supplementation produced no declines in lung cancer mortality, another report showed that oral iloprost reversed dysplasia (the precursor of lung cancer) in former smokers. Studies evaluating the roles of annual chest X-rays and spiral CT scans in early detection are completed and results should be available in the next several years.  We hope that these efforts can also contribute to a decline in future lung cancer mortality.

 The Prevent Cancer Foundation has worked collaboratively with the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer for many years to fund grants for fellows and junior faculty investigators. These grants have been extremely popular and successful and will continue into the future. Let’s continue and expand our efforts over the next 25 years!

Editor’s Note: This post is  part of the 25th Anniversary Testimonials Initiative.