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An important history of the development of cancer centers of
excellence and the revolution in cancer treatment. In the 1960s a
coalition of concerned citizens, scientists and politicians joined
forces to convince the federal government to focus its efforts on
conquering cancer. The National Cancer Act of 1971 resulted and was
signed into law on December 23, 1971 by President Nixon. The
national "War on Cancer," was declared with some leaders naively
arguing that the disease would be conquered by the nation's
bicentennial-a mere five years in the future. Over the next five
decades scientific discoveries demonstrated the great complexity of
what had formerly been thought of as a single disease - with the
advent of the genetic characterization of cancers, it is now
recognized that there are almost an infinite number of cancers as
defined by their many genetic mutations. The National Cancer Act
established the infrastructure for the designation of centers by
the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and these centers have evolved
into models of multidisciplinary, collaborative cancer research,
treatment and prevention contributing to a reduction in cancer
mortality and increase in quality of life and survival that has
translated into more than 17 million cancer survivors in the United
States in 2021. Centers of the Cancer Universe: A Half-Century of
Progress Against Cancer tells the story of how cancer research was
not front and center at most universities and research institutions
before the National Cancer Act of 1971, and why many physicians
were reluctant even to treat patients with cancer in the early 20th
century. It follows the behind-the-scenes lobbying, resistance and
negotiating that preceded signing the Act into law, and how the
cancer centers of today came to fruition, and shaped how cancer
research, clinical trials and treatment would be conducted.
Substantial data indicate the broad importance of vitamin D-based
signaling in normal human physiology and the broad effects of
vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D may play a role not only in the
control of bone and mineral metabolism, but also appears to be
involved in immune function, cardiovascular health, thrombosis and
vasculogenesis and neuromuscular function. Considerable
epidemiologic data demonstrate that low vitamin D serum levels
occur very commonly in normal adult populations and that vitamin D
deficiency is associated with an enhanced risk of cancer death from
lung, prostate, head & neck, colorectal and other
gastrointestinal cancers. In addition, preclinical data provide
evidence that calcitriol and other active analogues of calcitriol
have anti-proliferative, pro-differentiative, pro-apoptotic and
anti-angiogenic activity in numerous in-vitro and in-vivo models.
It is quite clear that, while it requires high exposure to
calcitriol to induce these effects, such exposure can be readily
achieved when high dose intermittent therapy is given.
Substantial data indicate the broad importance of vitamin D-based
signaling in normal human physiology and the broad effects of
vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D may play a role not only in the
control of bone and mineral metabolism, but also appears to be
involved in immune function, cardiovascular health, thrombosis and
vasculogenesis and neuromuscular function. Considerable
epidemiologic data demonstrate that low vitamin D serum levels
occur very commonly in normal adult populations and that vitamin D
deficiency is associated with an enhanced risk of cancer death from
lung, prostate, head & neck, colorectal and other
gastrointestinal cancers. In addition, preclinical data provide
evidence that calcitriol and other active analogues of calcitriol
have anti-proliferative, pro-differentiative, pro-apoptotic and
anti-angiogenic activity in numerous in-vitro and in-vivo models.
It is quite clear that, while it requires high exposure to
calcitriol to induce these effects, such exposure can be readily
achieved when high dose intermittent therapy is given.
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