Accelerating progress to reduce the cancer burden through prevention and control in the United States.

Abstract

Improvements in cancer prevention and control are poised to be main contributors in reducing the burden of cancer in the United States. We quantify top opportunities to accelerate progress using projected life-years gained and deaths averted as measures. We project that over the next 25 years, realistic gains from tobacco control can contribute 0.4-17 million additional life-years gained per intervention and 8.4 million additional life-years gained from improving uptake of screening programs over the lifetime of 25 annual cohorts. Additional opportunities include addressing modifiable risk factors (excess weight, alcohol consumption), improving methods to prevent or treat oncogenic infections, and reducing cancer health disparities. Investment is needed in the pipeline of new preventive agents and technologies for early detection to continue progress. There is also a need for additional research to improve the access to and uptake of existing and emerging interventions for cancer prevention and control and to address health disparities. These gains are undeniably within our power to realize for the US population.