5 May 2014 - Decades of investment in cancer research are beginning to have real impact. Now more than 60 per cent of Australians with a diagnosis of cancer will become long-term survivors because of earlier detection and more effective treatments.

Those survival rates are among the best in the world; a testament to the quality of the Australian health care system.

The investment in cancer research has also led to a revolution in the development of new cancer treatments, that precisely turn off processes in the tumour cell to kill cancers, with substantially fewer side-effects than traditional chemotherapy. The revolution is also uncovering new treatments able to activate the body’s immune system to reject the cancer.

The generation of new cancer drugs promises to further improve the survival rates from many common as well as less common cancers. But are Australians getting access to these new treatments in a timely manner?

For more details, go to: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/access-to-new-cancer-drugs-must-come-from-a-more-rapid-proc...