Some state legislators and community opinion leaders reportedly are calling for quick action in the fight against cancer. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and American Cancer Society's recent statistics prove that our efforts at cancer prevention, early diagnosis, treatment and supportive care leave us far short of where we should be. No one has been able to do what must be done to reduce risk and improve cancer survival in our state. Despite exciting advances in technology and ever-growing understanding of the disease, so many lives are still being lost. Part of the answer is the nature of the disease.
Cancer is a tremendously complex disease with factors such as genetics, environment and lifestyle.
This is why having the greatest positive impact will require organizational focus. As Delaware's largest provider of cancer care, Christiana Care Health System is committed to lowering cancer rates here and improving survival and the quality of life for those with cancer. Working closely with local physicians, other cancer care providers and community organizations, we have embarked on developing the Christiana Care Cancer Center. In creating our new cancer center, we are proceeding along three distinct yet related tracks. The first and most important track is developing a cancer program that provides access to the entire spectrum of integrated services.