The petition
Dear Senator/Assemblyperson,
We the undersigned, who include New York State constituents, lung cancer survivors, family members, caregivers, those at risk for the disease, and members of Lung Cancer Alliance-New York (LCA-NY), ask for your support for increased state funding for a lung cancer early detection research program.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths nationally and in New York State, claiming more lives this year than breast, prostate, and colon cancers--combined. This year approximately 13,390 New Yorkers will be diagnosed with lung cancer and an estimated 9,500 will die from the disease. Over 70% will be diagnosed at late stage accounting for the low 15% five year survival rate.
This is why we strongly encourage you to help us address this major public health crisis by supporting a lung cancer early detection research program in New York State.
The International Early Lung Cancer Action Program (I-ELCAP), founded in 1993 at Weill Medical College of Cornell University, coordinates lung cancer early detection research at 40 centers around the world, and includes 14 centers right here in New York State. Over a span of 13 years, I-ELCAP has analyzed over 30,000 scans and developed a diagnostic protocol that can detect lung cancer at its earliest stage 85% of cases with a false positive rate equal to or less than mammography and far less than PSA testing.
Support like this will make a difference in reducing cancer deaths because it will allow lung cancer to be managed much earlier than it currently is. In particular, low income populations should be targeted to verify cost efficacy in view of the high percentage of Medicaid patients in New York State and lung cancer’s higher incidence in that population and the high cost of treating late stage lung cancer.
Please take a stand and work with us to reverse the decades of stigma and neglect that have too long been associated with lung cancer.
Sincerely,
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