Success of Cancer Exploration in America - Research Paper Example

? Information] Success of cancer research in America Indeed the American society has come a long way since independence and that journey was filled with ups and downs. While United States is no stranger to international censure that it is frequently subjected to because of numerous events that have transpired in the last few years on an international front, there are also certain positive aspects that are overshadowed by these negative one. Contrary to popular beliefs, there are indeed many positive issues that go unnoticed by the masses because of the ongoing political and social turmoil that the country was deeply embroiled in. The substance of this prose will examine the laurels of the Medical research sector in the United States that has made substantial contributions in laying down the foundations of a healthy Cancer-free society. I. Medical Research in the United States Since the dawn of time, human tends to evolve itself to help improve the surrounding; this made it even more important to find a viable “cure” from various diseases. Through different ages of time, mankind came to know of various diseases and found cure for it. United state of America has also played a vital role in inventing cures for diseases which are known to be “in-curable” and also focus its research on some unknown diseases, specifically on cancer and its cause. Some famous medical researches conducted by American medical practitioners are: i) The Potential of Circulating Tumor Cells as a Liquid Biopsy to Guide Therapy in Prostate Cancer: The authors presented results, that prostate-specific antigen/prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSA/PSMA)–which are based on the measurements and calculations of androgen receptor (AR) signaling in circulating tumor cells (CTC) which helps in enabling the real-time quantitative monitoring of intratumoral AR signaling. This finding indicates that measuring AR signaling within CTCs may help to guide therapy in metastatic prostate cancer and highlights the use of CTCs as liquid biopsy. (Pantel, 2012) ii) Androgen Receptor Signaling in Circulating Tumor Cells as a Marker of Hormonally Responsive Prostate Cancer: The Androgen deprivation therapy also known as ADT was practiced to cure metastatic prostate cancer in earlier days, and many other hormonal therapies were being tested to repress the androgen receptor (AR) from reactivating in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). In spite of the different responses to AR pathway inhibitors in CRPC, there are no dependable practitioners to guide their application. In this paper the author used micro fluidic capture of circulating tumor cells (CTC) to measure AR signaling readouts before and after therapeutic interventions (Miyamoto, 2012). These were the following researches that considered being a breakthrough in the medical history, there was very few researches in the field of prostate cancer and improving the chemotherapy of cancer patients. The main reason was the funding for these researches and the political influence in these areas. II. Successful treatment of various intractable illnesses is now readily available Cancer was labeled as one of the leading causes of death in the United States and research was the only way through which the issue of cancer could have been tackled. The National Institute of Cancer received nearly $2.7 billion and is also funded by intangible sources that have further paved the path to help medical professionals expand their horizons. The importance of cancer research was further iterated by President Obama and according to him: “Innovation also demands basic research. Today, the discoveries taking place in our federally financed labs and universities could lead to new treatments that kill cancer cells but leave healthy ones untouched… Do not gut these investments in our budget. Don’t let other countries win the race for the future.” (AACR, 2012). There are however many researches being carried out on the treatment of once called intractable illness. Cancer was always believed to be one of the “incurable” diseases, but with the progress in science and medical treatment, many methods have been developed to cure this “intractable” disease. Some of these intractable cancers include the “esophageal cancer”. According to Wilkenbauer (2012), they have successfully developed a palliative treatment to detect the tumor, and to obstruct its growth with nitinol stents which further increases the safety and produce long term results. In this paper, the author described that the method of obstructing the esophageal cancer, and the tumor blocking the esophagus of 3rd or 4rth grade of cancer patients. The experiment was carried out on 22 patients with high grade without any previous treatment. The therapy was being obstructed by the cancer cells that were blocking the drug to pass through esophagus. The uncoated nitinol was introduced in the body either by radioactive radiations or by endoscopy, and then it was focused in the middle of the blocking esophageal cancer. The amount of nitinol was being controlled with the test results and the palliative treatment results. The results were remarkable; the patients prior to this treatment could not swallow or digest solid food. The side effects were chest congestion and aspiration problem considered to be minor. The control over the cancer was increased to almost 14 months which is considered to be a remarkable figure. Furthermore the authors also suggested that if the positioning and target of stents are focused by some other radioactive means, the possibility of increasing the safety level of this cancer can highly be increased (Wilkenbauer, 2012). Although it requires much complex methods and bulk load of finance to support this experiment but it will increase the safety level for 14 more months and decreasing the grade up to 1 or even 0. Dr Richard frank, describes that many patients go for chemotherapy when the grade of the particular cancer increases to a level where it cannot be cured (Columbus, 2007). He gives many examples of patient who survived the cancer at many stages, when taken of properly. He proposed many easy steps for the patient to increase the stability level of the cancer and to maintain the grade for a long time, of course with the consultation of the doctors. His steps and guide were a remarkable breakthrough among cancer patients to cure cancer at a very early stage and to maintain the grade level of their cancer along with chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is a very painful treatment, sometime offers great deal of stress over liver which in some cases, damages the liver functionality and make things worse. So to avoid such harsh treatment, Columbus (2007) describes that other precautions and steps should be taken and the patient can increase the life cycle to a remarkable figure. III. Statistics Living a healthy and prosperous life is what every man desires and usually news about such researches should be hailed all over the country. Here are some of the statistics of various cancers being successfully cured or stabilized. According to (America), the survival of patient’s suffering from “advanced staged breast cancer” year 2004-2008, were almost 95% in the first 6 months. 58.6 percent of the patient survived 2 years after the treatment and almost 33 percent of the patient survived 42 months after the treatment. These statistics are being improved and better results and data are being gathered which shows more hope in controlling this disease which is one of the most common type of cancer in America. The median age of women suffering from breast cancer was 61 and the death age has been reduced to 23 out of 100,000 women in America per year. The trend of patients suffering from breast cancer in the last decade has decreased to -1.9% which is the best figure so far according to United States Cancer Statistics (2012). According to the (Institute, Cancer Statistics), from 2005-2009, the median age of death of the patients suffering from kidney and renal pelvis cancer is 71 years. 2% of the patients died between the age of 35-40 and 27.47 percent of the patients died in the age of 70-80 years. The statistics shows the control and stability of the cancer in patients and how it has improved the life cycle of cancer patients. The death rate has remarkably decreased to 4 out of 100,000 men and women in America per year. The report includes figures from different cancer departments in America, the median age of patients die is 72 years of age in the year 2005-2009. The death rate is highly controlled at 178.2 out of 100,000 patients per year. Since the last decade the trend in death reports from cancer has decreased in every category of the cancer. The male trend period in the year 2001-2007, the number decreased to -1.82 percent, recorded lowest since 1975 and -1.5 percent in the female trend period in the ever 2001-2007, which is recorded the lowest since 1975. The survival rate in the year 2000-2005 was almost 63.5 percent of the patients in America of all races, sex and regions. This number is calculated based on different reports and experiment carried out in research and cancer department of America. Though the media has played a huge role in instilling a negative appraisal system in the people, there are numerous social factors. With the rise in unemployment and the recent financial meltdown that has rendered the entire nation crippled, cancer research seems to have taken up a secondary role in the lives of people. Even from a psychological perspective, individuals cannot fathom the gravity of Cancer, unless they have suffered from it or seen someone suffering from it. According to (Research), there were 12,553,337 men and women who are still alive in year 2009, who were suffering from cancer. Out of this number, 5,811,097 were men and 6,742,240 were women. This number displays a great hope among the Americans suffering from cancer to live a normal life and fight against cancer. IV. Why is it ignored? However, positive pieces of news like these are most of the ignored by the masses or fail to make the necessary impact or fill them with the much-needed hope and optimism. There are plenty of factors that result in these medical stepping stones going unnoticed; the factors range from social to psychological ones. As mentioned earlier, United States is already actively involved in several social and political issues that overshadow developments in these areas. The media, which is supposed to raise awareness regarding the great achievements of medical research, resorts to sensationalizing news pertaining to politics, which further diminishes their significance in the eyes of the viewers. Though the media has played a huge role in instilling a negative appraisal system in the people, there are numerous social factors. With the rise in unemployment and the recent financial meltdown that has rendered the entire nation crippled, cancer research seems to have taken up a secondary role in the lives of people. Even from a psychological perspective, individuals cannot fathom the gravity of Cancer, unless they have suffered from it or seen someone suffering from it. The general population is likely to be unable to appreciate the back-breaking labor that was put in the research to help find a cure to cancer or slow down its progress. The concern amongst the people is only a diagnosis away that is why proper attention is never given to such issues. With the rise in other social evils, a breakthrough in the medical field often goes unnoticed, vastly because people are already skeptical and wary of the government, and are also weary of all the other depressants in their environment. The media has had a great role in cementing such notions in the people and by also desensitizing them. News channels only circulate evidences that thoroughly stress people out, whereas the entertainment industry is vastly dominated by kitsch. Due to this very reason, people are ill-informed and do not possess the right tools to help gather information about such intense issues. Also, due to the pre-conceived notions established by the people about cancer, they often jump to the worst possible conclusion, which is further fueled by the previous ravages caused by cancer. Therefore, the general masses fail to comply with the research and the assurances given by their doctors. (Andersen, 2008) It is indeed true that since the last few decades a sharp increase in wars and skirmishes has rendered countless dead and orphaned. The fact that deaths caused by cancer are on a steady decline fails to get lauded by the masses, because humanity continues to suffer because of man-made disasters. However, these developments have helped ignite hope in the hearts of these patients and they develop stronger will in order to fight cancer. The increase in researches brought hope to all of America, people who are suffering and people who are related to patients suffering from cancer. In the last decade, the people of America has remarkably contributed in the field of cancer with various different mediums, specifically the media vigorously supports the cancer and the treatment to prevent cancer. V. Conclusion In conclusion, although the world and America has taken a strong plunge because of numerous conflicts that are still unresolved, but it cannot be denied that a lot of good things have happened and one must acknowledge them. There are hundreds of thousands of people, who have been able to enjoy a healthier and longer life. Even if it fails to get the attention it deserves it still cannot be denied that through research, Americans are now living better lives and cancer-related deaths have indeed decreased. As it has been reiterated numerous times, the media needs to focus on the positive aspects of human life and although, it is important that individuals should know what is going around all over the world, but it is still not justified to provide the masses with a lopsided view on society. The aforementioned statistics have shown the progress that the field of medicine has made. Even politicians and various other influential members of the society are now contributing in raising awareness regarding these issues and with the right amount of funding, everyone will have access to cancer treatment and will also be equipped with the knowledge to prevent it. Works Cited AACR Cancer Policy Monitor. American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). January 2012. Web. < http://www.aacr.org/home/public--media/science-policy--government-affairs/aacr-cancer-policy-monitor/aacr-cancer-policy-monitor---january-2012/congress-shifting-into-fy2013-spending-debate.aspx> Andersen, Robin. “Battleground: The Media”. ABC-CLIO. 2008. Columbus, Frank H. “Trends in Cancer Prevention”. Nova Publishers. 2007 Love, Susan M. A feasibility study of intraductal administration of chemotherapy. American Association of Cancer Research Journal. 2012 Miyamoto, David T. “Androgen Receptor Signaling in Circulating Tumor Cells as a Marker of Hormonally Responsive Prostate Cancer”. American Association for Cancer Research Journal. 2012. Pantel, Klaus. “The Potential of Circulating Tumor Cells as a Liquid Biopsy to Guide Therapy in Prostate Cancer Department of Tumor Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg.2012. United States Cancer Statistics: 1999-2007 Incidence and mortality. National Cancer Institute. 2012. Web. < http://www.cancer.gov/statistics> Winkelbauer, Friedrich W. Palliative Treatment of obstructing esophageal cancer: Value, Safety and long-term results. American Roentgen Ray Society. 1996. Read More