Issue: Apr. 2016
Vive la France! Check Your Mate The missing link
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Thank you for 30 years of helping to STOP CANCER BEFORE IT STARTS! ™ IN THE WORLD OF CANCER
USPSTF cancer screenings Indoor skin fitness trends Update on screening guidelines and PALS Act 21st Century Cures You can be an advocate (p.11)
The White House and cancer
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IN THE WORLD OF CANCER
Come Dialogue with breast cancer surgeon Kristi Funk
Get up for debates Walk together
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Decoding food labels MAKE A DIFFERENCE
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FOUNDATION NEWS
President’s Corner Dear Readers, Keep moving forward. As spring approaches, it’s a phrase I’m reminded of often. We keep moving so we can stay healthy and take care of our bodies. And the Foundation staff, partners and donors like you work together to move forward in our mission of saving lives. Now, with the support of President Obama and Vice President Biden, we have more momentum than ever before. In this issue, we examine the Administration’s new Cancer Moonshot Initiative and the history of the White House’s involvement in the fight against cancer. We are thrilled that the Administration recently formed a Cancer Task Force, which has named prevention and early detection among its priorities. In Advocacy News, you can read about important updates on legislation and cancer screening guidelines. We encourage you to stay informed and get involved in the movement as a cancer prevention advocate. We plan to keep moving forward so we can make a difference— join us! Carolyn Aldigé President and Founder
Vive la France!
Diplomats, Members of Congress, Washington business leaders, health care professionals and more stepped off the streets of Washington, D.C. and into a beautiful evening in France at the Prevent Cancer Foundation’s 22nd Annual Spring Gala. Attendees experienced the grace, lights and elegance of France at the National Building Museum. At this year’s celebration, “La Vie En Rose,” His Excellency, the Ambassador of France Gérard Araud served as the Honorary Patron. The Ambassador noted the introduction of the country’s third cancer plan and recommitted France to going further in the fight against cancer. He described the Foundation’s work as “transformative.” The Foundation honored Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Representative Diana DeGette (D-CO) as its 2016 Cancer Champions. Rep. Upton has led the charge in increasing funding for the National Institutes of Health since the 1990s. In 2015, he introduced the 21st Century Cures Act to the House of Representatives with Rep. DeGette as the chief co-sponsor. With this bi-partisan effort, the bill was a huge success and passed with unprecedented support to accelerate medical research. “It is good news that Joe Biden is leading the Cancer Moonshot Initiative—and we intend to have our bill serve as the rocket ship to get that done,” Upton said. Gala guests had an opportunity to honor the late Congressman Mike Oxley during the “Lighting the Way to Prevention” pledge drive. A dear friend of the Foundation and former Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Rep. Oxley lost his battle with lung cancer on New Year’s Day. The $40,000 raised in Lighting the Way will go toward the Michael G. Oxley Lung Cancer Research Fund. Thanks to our generous donors and sponsors, the Gala raised $1.6 million for crucial cancer prevention and early detection programs. Funds raised will support research grants, outreach efforts and education campaigns to save lives.
FOUNDATION NEWS
PreventCancer.org
Check Your Mate
In December 2012, Susan* asked her boyfriend, Jack*, why one testicle was bigger than the other. A few weeks later, when Jack began feeling an unfamiliar sensation in his testicles, he went to see his doctor—and found out he had cancer. “As partners, you are familiar with each other’s bodies— sometimes you’re more familiar with your partner’s body than your own,� Susan said. That’s why the Prevent Cancer Foundation launched an annual Check Your Mate campaign in 2013. Each year, the Foundation encourages individuals to explore their partners’ bodies for irregularities that could be early signs of cancer. When cancer is detected early, the likelihood of successful treatment outcome is increased. Jack is now cancer-free, and Susan is relieved that she said something when she did. “It’s so important— knowing your body and knowing your partner’s body well enough to notice a change,� she said. *names have been changed
If you do spot any irregularities, encourage your partner to talk to a health care professional right away. To learn more about what to look for when you Check Your Mate, visit
http://preventcancer.org/checkyourmate/.
The missing link
New research released by the Prevent Cancer Foundation reveals the public is largely unaware of the link between certain viruses and cancer. The study was conducted in conjunction with the Foundation’s new Think About the Link campaign, a multi-year education initiative to increase awareness about the connection between certain viruses and cancer. Think About the Link is focused on three viruses linked to certain cancers: human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B and hepatitis C. The study showed few people understand the link or how to reduce the risk that these viruses will lead to cancer.
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Are we coming to your state?
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ADVOCACY NEWS
USPSTF skin cancer screenings
The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is currently updating their skin cancer guidelines. Under their new proposal, visual skin cancer screenings—which are standard in most dermatologists’ offices to catch many forms of cancer—will have an “incomplete� grade, meaning that there is not enough evidence to recommend these as a preventive measure. With this grading, private insurers will not be required to pay for screenings, and Medicare and Medicaid are less likely to cover them as well.
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The Prevent Cancer Foundation strongly opposes the USPSTF’s new skin cancer guidelines. Research has shown that screening saves lives by catching melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers in their early stages, when they are most treatable. The Foundation is concerned that the USPSTF review focused only on melanoma, ignoring other skin cancers such as basal or squamous cell cancer. These cancers may not be as deadly as melanoma, but can lead to significant pain and disfigurement if they are not detected early on—and, left untreated, they can also be lethal. We need to change the USPSTF to guarantee there are experts in the field making decisions about our health, rather than a panel of doctors that may not include any oncologists or dermatologists. We urge the House to advance H.R. 1151, the USPSTF Accountability and Transparency Act, to provide clarity on how these decisions are made and ensure experts are making these important health care decisions. Join us and encourage your representative to pass H.R. 1151 by visiting IUUQ QSFWFOUDBODFS PSH BEWPDBDZ IPNF UBLF BDUJPO .
21st Century Cures
Last year, the Prevent Cancer Foundation and hundreds of other health advocacy organizations supported the 21st Century Cures Act, a wide-ranging bill that provided a streamlined path for approvals of new drug treatments, boosted research in precision medicine, aimed to make electronic health records (EHRs) easier for doctors to use and share and increased funding for the National Institutes for Health (NIH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The bill passed with overwhelming support, and has now moved over to the Senate as the Senate Innovation Act. The Senate has decided not to take up the Senate Innovation Act as a single bill and is instead breaking it into smaller individual bills. A Senate committee recently examined some of the less controversial pieces of legislation, including better sharing of electronic health records between doctors while improving security for those records, and additional support for up-and-coming health researchers.
ADVOCACY NEWS 5
PreventCancer.org
Update on screening guidelines and PALS Act
Last year, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released draft recommendations that put access to mammograms at risk for 22 million women ages 40-49. We asked you to take action to make sure all women ages 40 and older have access to mammograms by encouraging Congress to pass the Protect Access to Lifesaving Screenings (PALS) Act. You heard us and stepped up! At the end of last year, when the new federal budget was approved, the PALS Act provisions were included. Thanks to the actions that you took to #StopTheGuidelines, there will be a two-year moratorium on updates to the screening recommendations for mammograms while all the evidence is reviewed. The USPSTF has, disappointingly, decided to finalize the guidelines despite the outcry and this legislation. The Task Force chose to publish its guidelines just weeks after Congress passed the PALS Act, which prevents the recommendations from going into effect until January 1, 2018, adding another layer of confusion for women and physicians. The Prevent Cancer Foundation continues to recommend annual mammograms for all women of average risk beginning at age 40, with no barriers to access or out-of-pocket costs. Congress’ intervention was critical, since the USPSTF guidelines are so different from all other clinical organizations which advise on breast cancer screening guidelines. Without the new law, the final recommendations would have immediately restricted access to mammograms for millions of women under the age of 50. Of the approximately 40,000 women who die from breast cancer each year, up to 10,000 have cancer that potentially could have been diagnosed with screening mammography prior to the age of 50.The Foundation is grateful to Congress for the two-year “time out,” and grateful to all of you for stepping up to make this happen.
For more information on becoming a Prevent Cancer advocate visit http://preventcancer.org/advocacy-home/
One of the most important pieces of the bill—committed funding for the NIH and FDA—is proving to be the most controversial, and right now there is no plan to provide dedicated funding past one year. We will continue to support strong funding for the NIH and the FDA and will be advocating for this and other bills from the Senate Innovation Act throughout the year.
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IN THE WORLD OF CANCER
The White House and cancer
In 1971, President Richard Nixon declared a war on cancer in his State of the Union address. “The time has come in America for the same kind of concentrated effort that split the atom and took man to the moon should be turned toward conquering this dreaded disease. Let’s make a total national commitment to achieve this goal,” he said. Nearly half a century later, we are still searching for cures, but we have made progress. To start, we have discovered the power of prevention, and have proven that more than half of all cancers can be prevented with healthy lifestyle choices, proper immunizations and screenings, and knowing your family history. We have also made a tremendous impact in treatments and cures. Cancer death rates in the U.S. have continued to fall, decreasing by 1.5 percent a year from 2003 to 2012.*
STOP CANCER BEFORE IT STARTS! ™
Nixon signs National Cancer Act Declaring the "War on Cancer"
1971
First Cancer Vaccine Approved
1981
The FDA approves a vaccine meant to prevent the hepatitis B Infection
Second-Hand Smoke Formally Declared A Carcinogen
1986
Tamoxifen Approved
1986
The FDA approves this treatment as a post-surgery preventive agent for breast cancer survivors
First Targeted Cancer Drug Approved
1997
The FDA approved Rituximab, used to treat patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma
President Clinton & Congress Double Biomedical Research
1998-2003
through a series of annual budget increases to the National Institutes of Health
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PreventCancer.org
In 2016, the war against cancer is back on center stage. In President Obama’s State of the Union in January, he announced a National Cancer Moonshot Initiative to end cancer, with Vice President Biden at the helm. We enter a new phase of this Moonshot with a greater understanding than we had in the 70s: that cancer is not one disease, but hundreds of complex diseases; that prevention and early detection are critical to saving lives; that there is potential to prevent more diseases with immunizations; and that all of this will take increased funding and communication. The Prevent Cancer Foundation is pleased to have had an opportunity for input on the Moonshot Initiative, ensuring that prevention and early detection are an integral part of the Vice President's goals. The Administration is launching the National Cancer Moonshot with a $1 billion commitment. This includes $195 million in new cancer activities at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in fiscal year 2016, $755 million in mandatory funds in the 2017 budget for new cancer-related research activities at both NIH and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and support for other agencies such as the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. A newly-established Cancer Task Force has announced a goal of making a decade’s worth of advances in five years. The White House has a long history in the fight against cancer. But with a focus on enhanced data sharing, immunotherapy, vaccine development, prevention and early detection—this time, we might just get it done. *According to the new Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer by the American Cancer Society, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries.
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Scientists Decode The Human Genome
President Obama Announces Moonshot
opening the door to more easily research our DNA and identify why cancer develops
First Cervical Cancer Vaccine Approved
2003
2006
2016
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FITNESS
Get up for debates
The 2016 Presidential race is in full swing and everyone is tuning in to the debates to see how candidates fare in the heat of the race. For many, the timing of these televised debates conflicts with your evening workout, and tuning in from the treadmill isn’t always possible. But staying informed doesn’t have to mean staying on the couch! Follow the 2016 Debate Workout Challenge to keep your blood pumping while you watch. Here are the guidelines:
Jog in place for 1 minute whenever someone says, “When I’m President...�
Do 10 jumping jacks anytime someone mentions building a wall.
Hold a 30-second plank whenever someone mentions President Obama.
Do 5 pushups whenever someone keeps talking over his or her allotted speaking time.
In short, the answer is yes. 10,000 steps is an estimation of the physical activity you need each day for good overall health. If you need more motivation to hit the pavement, here are the top three benefits to walking:
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According to the CDC, a 154-pound person walking at 3.5 mph will burn 140 calories in 30 minutes. Walking every day, combined with a healthy diet, can help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, which is essential for cancer prevention.
Do 10 crunches every time someone talks over someone else (moderators included!)
If you follow these rules, you can work up a sweat—even in front of the TV! Maintaining a healthy weight and being physically active are key steps to staying healthy and reducing your cancer risk.
Walk together Wearable technology like Fitbits and apps that track your steps have been growing in popularity, and Americans are making an effort to get up and get walking. But is hitting that coveted 10,000 steps a day really making a difference?
Do 5 burpees whenever someone says the word “emails.�
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Obesity is a leading risk factor for several types of cancer and other diseases like diabetes and heart disease—and is poised to become the leading cause of cancer in this country.
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Many forms of exercise can put harmful stress on the body, especially if you are elderly or have previous or chronic injuries. Low-impact workouts allow you to burn calories without the pain. And you don’t need a gym or equipment to walk—if it’s raining outside, drive to your local shopping mall and walk the mall.
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Just like other forms of exercise, walking releases endorphins, those feel-good hormones that lift your spirits. Most people equate endorphin release to tough workouts at the gym, but you can get the same effect just by walking to school or work. Stress overload can be extremely detrimental to your health, so keeping stress levels low is critical to reducing your cancer risk.
IN THE WORLD OF CANCER / HEALTHY EATING
PreventCancer.org
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One of the top surgeons working in breast cancer today started her career wanting to focus on the stomach. But following an opportunity to take over a breast center, and after treating hundreds of women fighting for their lives following breast cancer diagnoses, Dr. Kristi Funk was inspired by their strength and knew she had found her calling. Today Dr. Funk and her husband run the Pink Lotus Breast Center in California, serving all patients, regardless of their ability to pay.
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At the 2016 Dialogue for Action™ conference, Dr. Funk will deliver the opening keynote address and discuss the latest advances in breast cancer screening and how she is reaching low-income communities. The Foundation sat down for a Q&A with Dr. Funk about her work to help women prevent, detect and treat breast cancer.
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What are you looking forward to at Dialogue for Action™?
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www.dialogueforaction.org
It’s not uncommon to hear or read multiple stories a week about healthy eating. The mixed messages and contradicting studies can sometimes be overwhelming and confusing. Food companies use words like “light� and “reduced-fat� to convince you their products are healthy, even if they are full of sugar or fat. That’s why it’s so important to read every food label. Here’s what to look for:
Serving Size
It is important to look for the nutritional information per serving size. Sometimes a package you think is a single or double serving can be three or four servings. Pay attention to calories —the average adult should consume about 2,000 calories per day.
Bad Fat Stick to products with zero trans fat and low saturated fat. For a healthy diet, these fats should not exceed 10 percent of your daily diet. Pay special attention with processed food, meat and cheese.
Fiber Fiber is essential in regulating digestion—it can help you lose weight and reduce your risk of heart disease. Aim for about 28 grams of fiber per day with foods like broccoli, berries and squash.
Sugar Sugar can be dangerous, especially since labels do not include the daily percentage of sugar in that product. Natural sugars, like those in fruits, are fine, but be on the lookout for added sweeteners like sucrose, agave, corn syrup and cane juice. You should avoid all products that include high-fructose corn syrup.
A healthy diet is crucial to reducing your risk for several types of cancer. When grocery shopping, always pay attention to food labels and ingredient lists so you and your family can make healthy choices.
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MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Survey says...
Many of you know the personal heartache that comes from a cancer diagnosis, but there are triumphs, too—especially in the real successes your donations make possible. In the Foundation’s 30-year history, we have funded more than 400 scientists doing cutting-edge research across the country. Last year, thanks to generous donors like you, we awarded more than $800,000 for innovative cancer prevention and early detection research to eight promising early-career scientists. Our international reach is also growing as we invest in partnerships around the world. This year, through a partnership with the Union for International Cancer Control, we are funding Technology Transfer Fellowships, which allow health care professionals in poor nations to train at top research and cancer institutes around the world on vital, lifesaving equipment for cancer early detection and treatment. We need your help to continue our success. You can help by going online and taking The online our new survey to help us understand what is important to you as a donor. We want survey will be to know how we can improve your donor experience so that we can continue as partners in prevention and early detection. The online survey will be available on available on April 1, 2016, at Preventcancer.org/survey. April 1, 2016, at At the Prevent Cancer Foundation, we are committed to keeping you Preventcancer.org/survey. connected to the victories you make happen and showing you how your support makes a difference. Thank you for your generosity.
Please purchase a bottle of "I Love My Boobies!" Wine
and help the Prevent Cancer Foundation
STOP CANCER BEFORE IT ™ STARTS! Montana Winery will donate 10% of wholesale revenue from each bottle of "I Love My Boobies!" wine purchased on their site before November 30, 2016.
Make your purchase at:
http://montanawinery.com/prevent-cancer
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
PreventCancer.org
You can be an advocate Are you interested in becoming an advocate for preventing cancer? Check out our advocacy page for the latest issues in cancer prevention and early detection and take these easy steps:
Sign Up Once you sign up to be an advocate, you’ll receive our bi-weekly newsletter, invitations to our conference calls and webinars, and regular issue alerts. preventcancer.org/advocacy-home/take-action/#/signup/go
Learn Download our advocacy toolkit to learn more about why advocacy is important and how it works. http://preventcancer.org/advocacy-toolkit/
Take Action Visit our "Take Action" page to write to your Members of Congress on important issues. http://preventcancer.org/advocacy-home/take-action/#/
Volunteer If you’re interested in getting even more involved as a cancer prevention advocate in your community, contact our director of policy and advocacy, Marisa Vertrees, at marisa.vertrees@preventcancer.org
UPCOMING EVENTS AND NEWS April 6-8 Dialogue for Action™ Conference on Cancer Screening June 13-14 Lung Cancer Workshop September 25 Prevent Cancer 5k Walk/Run
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TO SUBSCRIBE, CONTACT: Prevent Cancer Foundation 1600 Duke Street, Suite 500, Alexandria, VA 22314 Toll-Free: (800) 227-2732 Main: (703) 836-4412 Email: PCF@PreventCancer.org Visit: PreventCancer.org
News for 2016
Cancer PreventionWorks is published by the Prevent Cancer Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention and early detection of cancer. All contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. The Prevent Cancer Foundation is a member of the Combined Federal Campaign (#11074).
1600 Duke Street, Suite 500 Alexandria, VA 22314
You canand be Politics an advocate prevention
The White House and cancer Come Dialogue with breast cancer surgeon Kristi Funk
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