cancer costs

This morning there is an article in the Wall Street Journal about the economy and cancer care/cancer groups battling it out for money, since there's just not enough of it. This year, cancer will cost America at least 89 billion dollars - and the overall budget for research at the NCI is only about 5 million. hmmmm. Does that seem right to anyone else? Plus, the Dept of Defense's breast cancer research project will get 150 million dollars next year. Don't get me wrong - breast cancer is a horrible disease - but from a research/survival standpoint, five year survival rates for both breast and colon cancer have risen to more than 90% because of early-detection, etc. But only about 15% of people with lung cancer will be alive more than 5 years after diagnosis. Breast cancer has gotten so much funding because they mobilized forces in the 1990s - they lobbied Washington, they demanded more money and research and attention - it's time for other cancers to do the same. And not just the sexy, "media-friendly" cancers. Let's talk about thyroid cancer, and stomach cancer, and mouth cancer. Let's talk about sarcomas and brain tumors and multiple myeloma. Enough with the ribbons - let's kick some butt.