Major Cancer Milestones

Major Cancer Milestones 1970–1979

1970–1979 Major Cancer Milestones Early 1970s: Increased use of radioactive ''seeds'' to target prostate and other cancers

1970–1979 Major Cancer Milestones Late 1960s–early 1970s: Screening tests for colorectal cancer dramatically reduce deaths 1971: National Cancer Act of 1971 becomes law 1971: More limited mastectomy proven effective for early-stage breast cancer

1970–1979 Major Cancer Milestones 1970s: CT scanning provides clearer images of tumors, guiding radiation and other treatments

1970–1979 Major Cancer Milestones 1970s: Use of cancer-causing asbestos declines 1975–1976: First adjuvant chemotherapy increases cure rates for early-stage breast cancer

1970–1979 Major Cancer Milestones 1977: New treatments cure men with testicular cancer 1977: Many women with breast cancer can opt for breast-conserving surgery Late 1970s: Growing use of mammography saves lives

Major Cancer Milestones 1980–1989

1980–1989 Major Cancer Milestones 1981: First cancer vaccine prevents cancer-causing hepatitis B infection

1980–1989 Major Cancer Milestones 1982: Limited surgery helps rectal cancer patients avoid colostomies

1980–1989 Major Cancer Milestones 1986: PSA test enables early detection of prostate cancer 1986: Second-hand smoke formally declared a carcinogen 1986: Tamoxifen reduces breast cancer recurrence 1986: Global guidelines help ensure proper pain management

1980–1989 Major Cancer Milestones 1985–1991: Adjuvant therapy proven for colorectal cancer Late 1980s: Benzene discovered to cause blood cancers

1980–1989 Major Cancer Milestones 1989: Drugs to boost blood cells help patients finish cancer treatment, reduce infections

Major Cancer Milestones 1990–1999

1990–1999 Major Cancer Milestones Early 1990s: Laparoscopic surgery minimizes pain, recovery time for several cancers Early 1990s: Shift to 3-D radiation treatment plans increases precision, safety of therapy

1990–1999 Major Cancer Milestones Early 1990s: Cancer deaths begin steady decline 1991: Powerful anti-nausea drugs alleviate major side effect of cancer treatment

1990–1999 Major Cancer Milestones 1992: Sentinel lymph node biopsy determines cancer's spread with fewer side effects

1990–1999 Major Cancer Milestones 1970s–1990s: Melanoma linked to sun exposure 1992–1994: Taxanes emerge as a vital chemotherapy option for ovarian, breast cancer

1990–1999 Major Cancer Milestones 1997: FDA approves first-ever targeted cancer drug, rituximab 1997: Surgery found to cure some patients with advanced colon cancer Late 1990s: Prophylactic surgery helps prevent breast and ovarian cancers in women at high risk

1990–1999 Major Cancer Milestones Late 1990s: New radiotherapy technique enables precise targeting of tumors near sensitive tissue 1998: Drug therapy can reduce breast cancer risk in women at high risk 1998: Treatment guidelines highlight obesity-cancer link 1998: Chemotherapy before surgery helps more women benefit from breast-conserving treatment

1990–1999 Major Cancer Milestones 1998, 2006: First targeted anti-breast cancer drug, trastuzumab (Herceptin), has major impact on care

Major Cancer Milestones 2000–Present

2000–Present Major Cancer Milestones 2000: Study links household radon exposure to lung cancer

2000–Present Major Cancer Milestones 2001: New targeted therapy transforms treatment for rare leukemia 2001: Imatinib found highly effective against rare gastrointestinal tumor

2000–Present Major Cancer Milestones 1998–2003: Doubling of U.S. biomedical research budget expands cancer research

2000–Present Major Cancer Milestones 2003: Scientists decode the human genome 2003: Obesity pinpointed as cause of many cancer deaths 2003, 2004: First targeted drugs for lung cancer attack ''EGFR'' receptor

2000–Present Major Cancer Milestones 2004: FDA approves first ''anti-angiogenic'' drug, bevacizumab 2004, 2006: Two targeted drugs approved for advanced colon cancer 2004–2005: Adjuvant therapy proven effective in lung cancer

2000–Present Major Cancer Milestones 2005: U.S. launches effort to map cancer genomes 2005: Research sheds light on long-term health problems of cancer survivors

2000–Present Major Cancer Milestones 2006: First vaccine approved to prevent cervical cancer

2000–Present Major Cancer Milestones 2009, 2010: Major studies report conflicting results about benefits of PSA testing

2000–Present Major Cancer Milestones 2010: CT scanning reduces lung cancer deaths among heavy smokers 2010: First drug shown to improve survival for patients with advanced melanoma 2010: Adding palliative care to standard chemotherapy improves survival for advanced lung cancer patients 2011: Record number of Americans surviving cancer – nearly 12 million

Five-Year Survival Major Cancer Milestones Source: National Cancer Institute

Major Cancer Milestones Mortality Source: National Cancer Institute

Major Cancer Milestones New Cases Source: National Cancer Institute

Visit CancerProgress.Net for an interactive timeline of progress against a range of common cancers CancerProgress.Net is a project of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, which represents nearly 30,000 physicians who treat people with cancer and research new cures