Cancer casts its shadow on almost all of us. Whether we’re facing our own diagnosis or that of a spouse, a parent, a child, a friend, or another loved one, we can muster the courage we need in those moments by knowing we are not alone.
Beat Cancer
We at 23andMe are encouraged by the White House’s recent designation of April as National Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month to rally support for those affected and their families and highlight the importance of prevention and screening.
But beyond simply naming the month, this is part of a collective effort to raise awareness that includes support from 84 non-profit and patient advocacy organizations. Each group focuses on expanding cancer screening, research, and treatments.
Progress
So much progress has been made already — vaccines against human papillomavirus promise to slash the rates of cervical cancer; cancer screening has saved millions of lives in the last three decades; new treatments for lung cancer have reduced mortality rates; and immunotherapies such as CAR-T cell therapy have improved outcomes for many types of cancer.
However, much more needs to be done. Every year, more than 1.8 million people in the United States are diagnosed with cancer, and more than 600,000 people die each year, making it the second leading cause of death behind heart disease.
Every cancer is different, but early detection and treatment offer the best outcomes for all cancers. Improved awareness about cancer screening — regular mammograms and colorectal cancer screening, for instance — can go a long way toward early detection.
Knowing one’s risk by learning about one’s family cancer history, or through genetic testing, or simply through identifying risk factors in one’s life can help identify those at higher risk and direct them toward preventive care or enhanced screening.
The Power of Knowing
23andMe wants to show our support for this new effort but also share a little about how we are raising awareness about cancer, alerting people of their potential risk for different forms of cancer, and adding to the growing body of research into cancer to potentially identify causes and cures.
In the coming weeks, we’ll share more about what 23andMe has done and is doing to help people better understand their genetic risk and family cancer history and how that knowledge is a formidable tool for cancer prevention.
Find Out More
Learn more about cancer prevention and screening from the Prevent Cancer Foundation. You can explore more about all that 23andMe has to offer here.
