In doing the research for my last post, I came across some numbers that demonstrate the craziness I have come to expect on cancer spending.
In 2008, the last year for which we have numbers, 12,410 women were diagnosed in the US with cervical cancer, according to the CDC. Just over 4,000 women died of that form of cancer.
According to the National Cancer Institute, the federal government spent just over $90 million on research into cervical cancer in 2010 between the NCI budget and ARRA funds. Additional funds for research came from organizations like the American Cancer Society and other groups.
Depending on whom you talk to, there were 11-12,000 cases of neuroendocrine cancer diagnosed last year. About 12,000 of those who know they are fighting the disease die each year. We have no simple, inexpensive screening methods for the cancer, and there are some indications that the majority of NETs are never diagnosed, so both numbers may be substantially higher. One study suggests there may be as many as 3 million undiagnosed cases in the US right now.
NET cancer has about the same number of cases diagnosed as cervical cancer. Nearly three times as many people die from NET Cancer–that we know about–in any given year.
Yet our total spending on NET Cancer last year from ALL sources totaled–at best–$3.5 million, and was likely less than that from what I have been able to piece together. Early indications are that spending will improve somewhat this year, largely due to the commitment of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to the foundation last year of the Program in Neuroendocrine and Carcinoid Tumors.
The Caring for Carcinoid Foundation says finding a cure for NET will likely cost between $50 and $100 million. Given what we have spent on breast cancer without finding a cure for all of its forms, I am not sure I buy that number. But assuming they are correct, at our current rate of spending we can expect a “cure” about 2025 at best–and more likely around 2040. And that assumes we at least match the medical inflation rate in terms of increased spending over that period.
We really can’t count on government spending to bail us out. The federal deficit is a problem that is likely to leave us where we are right now. The good news, I suppose, is they can’t cut much from an allocation that is close to zero to begin with.
In launching the Program in Neuroendocrine and Carcinoid Tumors, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has demonstrated a substantial commitment to finding answers to this cancer in all its forms. But they are going to need substantial, ongoing financial support.
The reality is if we want a cure for this disease it is going to come down to what small operations like Caring for Carcinoid, the Carcinoid Foundation, and Walking with Jane can bring to the table. It means we have to start thinking in larger terms than we have to now. It means we all have to grow.
In tomorrow’s post, I will begin to outline plans to grow Walking with Jane’s contributions to the pie with new money.
