Risk of Risk-Based Mammography Screening, Ages 40 to 49
Authors: Lawrence W. Bassett, Valerie P. Jackson, Gilda Cardenosa, Daniel B. Kopans, Carl J. D'Orsi, Michael N. Linver, Peter J. Dempsey, Ellen B. Mendelson, D. David Dershaw, Barbara Monsees, Judy M. Destouet, Michael J. Racenstein, W. Philip Evans, Edward A. Sickles, Stephen A. Feig, Carol B. Stelling, R. Edward Hendrick, Linda Warren, Mitchell H. Gail, Barbara K. Rimer
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (1999)

Coming Together to Conquer CancerTo the Editor: Cancer incidence and mortality takes a devastating toll on individuals, families, and society every year.Nearly 1.5 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in 1998, and more than half a million will die.There is widespread agreement among scientists, clinicians, and health services research experts that disability and death from cancer could be measurably lessened.In fact, for the first time since 1990, cancer death rates are declining.Yet, there is a crisis in confidence of our medical system to treat people with chronic and life-threatening illnesses such as cancer.Therefore, we call upon our policymakers to take urgent action to ensure quality cancer care for all Americans.Efforts to define quality care must underscore the fact that 43 million Americans are uninsured and many millions more are underinsured.These are among the most vulnerable in our country who would face devastating financial and/or health consequences if they were diagnosed with cancer.We must take significant steps to ensure that those who are at the most risk for cancer-the elderly, the poor, minorities, rural inhabitants, and survivors of certain tumor types-have access to the same quality care that is being defined for those with adequate health coverage.Although there is cautious optimism regarding the decline of mortality from cancer, the United States is in the midst of a major reorganization of the marketplace that finances and delivers health care to the majority of our citizens.This reorganization to a market-based system that is designed primarily to control the cost of care has caused the cancer advocacy community to define quality care that is comprehensive, efficacious, compassionate, and cost-effective.All of our citizens who receive a diagnosis of cancer are at particular risk because of the complexities associated with the management of cancer, including the reliance of having access to new and innovative therapies, and the overall cost of treating and managing the hundreds of diseases known as cancer.The March-Coming Together to Conquer Cancer took place September 26, 1998, in our nation's capital and many other cities around the country.This event opened a national dialog in which survivors, health care providers, researchers, and policymakers will come together to seek progress in cancer prevention and control.This event will serve as a model of mutual advocacy to achieve our shared goals of enhanced research and improved access to quality cancer care.The March has brought the dawn of a new era in which patients, providers, families, and researchers can work with policymakers to assure that our society is mapping successful strategies to accelerate improvements in cancer prevention and treatment.What can you do as a cancer care provider?Every health professional should openly encourage mutual patient/ provider advocacy to fully address the entire spectrum of policy and care concerns.We must work side by side with survivors and their families to strongly put forth our agenda of increased funding for promising cancer research and enhanced access to quality cancer care.Coming together, we can conquer cancer.