And I'd wager that nearly everyone has at some point watched a family member, or a close friend struggle with the disease.
Sadly, despite all the money and effort we've spent to battle cancer over the years – the U.S. government spends nearly $5 billion annually on cancer research – we've made little progress in overcoming cancer's lethal power.
The death rates for certain breast, prostate, colorectal, liver, and pancreatic cancer haven't changed significantly since the 1930s.
Getting the proper treatment could be the difference between life and death. And that's especially true if you have a cancer with a low survival rate. Esophageal cancer has a 17% five-year survival rate. It's slightly lower for those with liver cancer, at 15%. For those with pancreatic cancer – the deadliest cancer – the five-year survival rate is only 6%.
While the doctor who diagnosed you may have some suggestions regarding where you should get treatment, it's important to do your own research.
There are hospitals across the U.S. that specialize in the research and treatment of certain cancers.
When looking for treatment centers, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has 69 "Designated Cancer Centers" in the U.S. These state-of-the-art centers are often leaders in advancements in cancer detection and treatment. You can find the list of NCI-Designated Cancer Centers here (https://www.cancer.gov/research/nci-role/cancer-centers).
The NCI also has highly specialized treatment and clinical trial centers that focus on specific types of cancer, called Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs). There are 62 SPOREs spread across 23 states.
The list is divided into organ locations. For example, if you're looking for SPOREs for liver cancer, you'd look under "gastrointestinal" in the organ-location list.
Where to Get Started
Here are listed the SPOREs that treat the deadliest cancers.
If you're looking for the best treatment for a particular cancer, these are some of your best options.
The SPOREs for pancreatic cancer are:
Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota
Website Phone: (507) 284-2511
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Website Phone: 1-800-UAB-0933
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Website Phone: (402) 559-4000
The SPOREs for gastrointestinal cancers
(including liver, esophagus, and stomach cancer) are:
Case Western Reserve University
Website Phone: (216) 844-8797
Dana-Farber Harvard Cancer Center
Website Phone: 1-877-420-3951
Johns Hopkins University
Website Phone: (410) 955-5000
University of Michigan
Website Phone: (734) 647-8902
Vanderbilt University
Website Phone: 1-877-936-8422
The SPOREs for lung cancer are:
Dana-Farber Harvard Cancer Center
Website Phone: 1-877-420-3951
Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute
Website Phone: 1-888-663-3488
Johns Hopkins University
Website Phone: (410) 955-5000
University of Colorado Cancer Center
Website Phone: (303) 724-3155
University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
Website Phone: (412) 647-2811
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Website Phone: (214) 648-3111
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You may not have the resources to go to these centers for treatment – the costs and travel may be outside your budget – but these centers may have the resources to help you.
You can also utilize information from cancer foundations. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, for example, has links to hospitals at the forefront of blood-cancer research, information on financial and emotional support, and in-depth information about the different types of blood cancers.
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Bonus:
- Four steps you must take after a cancer diagnosis (http://retirementmillionairedaily.com/four-steps-you-must-take-after-a-cancer-diagnosis)
- The full list of SPOREs(https://trp.cancer.gov)