Progress against cancer (1971-2011): how far have we come?

'The big C', a common euphemism for cancer, has loomed large on the collective psyche of the mankind for centuries, not least because of the relative dearth of effective treatment against this disease but its ability to relentlessly evade them and come back to haunt us. However, the struggle against cancer took a decisive turn in 1971 when a relentless campaigning by health activists eventually led to signing of the National Cancer Act in the United States, an unprecedented event in the history of diseases. As we commemorate the 40th anniversary of the signing of that historic legislation, an assessment of the progress against cancer would naturally help us understand how we have fared so far in this struggle and guide us in our efforts to re-strategize and re-deploy our limited resources to their best use against this immortal enemy.