Healthy Outlook: Conquering Cancer in the 21st Century

We are at a pivotal juncture in cancer care. As highlighted in recent stories from outlets such as The New  York Times, NPR and TIME, advances in science and technology (such as genomics and health information technology) are opening up new opportunities for effectively treating cancer.   Continuing advances in prevention, detection, and treatment are driving up cancer survival rates and enabling people to live longer and healthier lives.  At the same time, we’re in the midst of an important debate about the affordability and cost of cancer care, as well as significant changes in how we pay for and deliver care to cancer patients.

These changes hold considerable promise for patients, and they create an imperative for us to ensure that science and policy are pushing in the same direction toward efficient delivery of better patient care and improved patient outcomes.

Achieving this isn’t easy. It requires stakeholders from across the cancer community to come together to work for solutions. In many arenas and forums, this work is getting done and we are defining solutions that support better patient care, sustain continued scientific and medical progress, and promote efficient, affordable care.

This is why we’re excited to kickoff a blog series here on The Catalyst that examines the dynamic environment we’re in through the lens of a variety of organizations. So consider this series an opportunity to have a meaningful dialogue that gets beyond the headlines, digs into the issues, and works toward consensus in support of better patient care.

What’s the future of cancer care?

Where is the science taking us? And how can we assure that we continue to innovate and build on emerging scientific advances?

How are we thinking about cost and affordability? And how can we ensure that patients have access to the best care?

Tune in over the next few months as we engage stakeholders across the cancer community in these important questions.