Introduction
Research, centers and organizations are valuable institutions in any society. They conduct clinical trials and find ways to combat an ailment or a disease. One of the most important organizations in the US is the National Cancer Institute, which, as the name implies, focuses on cancer research from identification and diagnosis to prevention and treatment. The institute falls under the jurisdiction of the National Institutes of Health.
History
The cancer institute was established in 1937 by a congressional act called the National Cancer Institute Act. It paved the way for the creation of the organization as an independent body dedicated to cancer research.
Features
Cancer is a complex disease with no known single cure. Even at this stage where there are already breakthroughs on the disease, scientists and researchers cannot explain why cancer occurs. There are risk factors involved that make human beings and animals susceptible to getting certain types of cancer, but no one knows why cancers occur. At the cancer institute, the organization focuses on finding what causes cancer, who can get them, how to diagnosis the disease properly, early prevention, and treatment.
The cancer institute addresses all types of cancer such as those affecting the breast, bladder, prostate, lung, thyroid, pancreas, and the kidneys. Melanoma, leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and endometrial cancer are other kinds of cancer diseases that the cancer institute studies.
Clinical trials and tests are run by the cancer institute to discover new drugs that might halt the spread of cancer in an affected person with the hope of finding a definite cure. In fact, the National Cancer Institute was instrumental in discovering several anti-cancer drugs. The discoveries included synthetic drugs, antibiotics, and antimetabolites to name a few. The cancer institute also helped in unearthing medications for HIV/AIDS patients, breakthroughs that are not only benefiting American sufferers but those across the globe as well.
However, the role of the cancer institute is not only confined to cancer research. It is also a comprehensive data and resource base for patients, families, or anyone interested in the disease. The cancer institute publishes authoritative journals, white papers, fact sheets, and pamphlets on the disease. Its statistics are accurate and detailed giving anyone a complete picture of the cancer situation on the US homeland. If there is any information about cancer that anyone needs, the NCI is the right place to go. It also gives updated news on cancer and results of clinical trials the cancer institute's funds.
Those who are interested in applying for research grants can apply at the cancer institute. Although it is an independent research body, it works closely with hospitals, schools, universities, and other organizations on a national basis to carry out its cancer research mandate. The largest research centers are in Bethesda, Maryland and NCI-Frederick while the most known grant programs are the Quality Assurance Review Center (Provence, RI) and the Radiological Physics Center (Houston, Texas).
Tips and comments
The cancer institute in the UK was founded in 1997 and is an offshoot of a Cancer Summit spearheaded by the Prime Minister. As a result, the Cancer Research Funders Forum was born. However, it was not till April 1, 2001 that the UK National Cancer Research Institute was launched. It is patterned after the National Cancer Institute of the US.
