The Expected WorldEXPIRES: 1976
WRITTEN: 1971-01-22
I will also ask for an appropriation of an extra $100 million to launch an intensive campaign to find a cure for cancer, and I will ask later for whatever additional funds can effectively be used.
Written: 1971-01-22
Addressed to: within the decade (by America's bicentennial, 1976)
Source: State of the Union Address
Author: Richard M. Nixon
Category: Medicine
Annotation
Nixon's War on Cancer framed the disease as a problem solvable by political will and funding, analogous to the moonshot. The National Cancer Act was signed in December 1971. Over fifty years later, cancer remains the second leading cause of death in the US, though survival rates have improved significantly. The metaphor of the 'war on' proved more durable than the victory it promised.
What Actually Happened
Cancer was not cured by 1976 or any subsequent deadline. However, age-adjusted cancer death rates declined about 33% from their 1991 peak through 2020. Immunotherapy and targeted therapies have produced breakthroughs for specific cancers.