Federal funding reductions may jeopardize Kentucky's progress in dealing with cancer, according to B. Mark Evers' opinion piece.
Markey Cancer Center Drives Down Late-Stage Lung Cancer Rates in Kentucky
In a significant stride towards cancer treatment, the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center has been instrumental in reducing late-stage lung cancer diagnoses in Kentucky since 2013. This decline comes as a result of several key initiatives aimed at early detection, public education, smoking cessation, and research.
Expanding Access to Early Detection
Markey Cancer Center has expanded access to lung cancer screening, particularly through low-dose CT scans for high-risk populations. This early detection strategy has shifted many diagnoses from late-stage to earlier stages, where treatment is more effective.
Raising Awareness and Promoting Smoking Cessation
Through extensive community outreach and education campaigns, the center has worked tirelessly to raise awareness about lung cancer risks, symptoms, and the importance of screening and quitting smoking. Markey has also promoted smoking cessation programs statewide, helping reduce smoking rates - a primary cause of lung cancer.
Leading the Way in Cancer Research
As a leading cancer research institute, Markey conducts cutting-edge research into lung cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, improving patient outcomes that contribute to the overall decline in death rates. Currently, the center holds over $37.5 million in NIH funding for cancer research, clinical trials, and cancer prevention, supporting more than 370 research projects.
Improving Access to Care
By coordinating care and improving cancer services in underserved areas of Kentucky, the center has ensured more people receive timely, high-quality lung cancer treatment. Today, Markey treats patients from all 120 counties in Kentucky.
Groundbreaking Clinical Trials
The NIH-funded clinical trials at Markey Cancer Center provide Kentucky patients with access to the latest treatments for rare, aggressive, and treatment-resistant cancers. These trials have led to breakthroughs such as an innovative treatment for rare digestive tumors, which has shown 86% of patients remaining cancer-free at one year after other treatments have stopped working.
A Bright Future for Cancer Care in Kentucky
Under the leadership of Dr. B. Mark Evers, M.D., the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center continues to make strides in cancer care. Today, more than 300,000 long-term cancer survivors are alive and well in Kentucky due to advances in cancer research. With each year, approximately 29,000 Kentuckians are diagnosed with cancer, and 38% of them receive care directly at Markey or through its 20 affiliate sites across the state.
In addition, Markey's growth has outpaced the state's overall employment rate, increasing direct employment by 172% from 2011 to 2023, while statewide growth reached 13%. Each job supported by Markey creates nearly one additional job elsewhere in Kentucky.
With its continued commitment to research, patient care, and community outreach, the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center is poised to continue driving down late-stage lung cancer rates and improving the lives of Kentuckians affected by cancer.
- The University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center's efforts in expanding access to lung cancer screening, particularly through low-dose CT scans, have shifted many diagnoses from late-stage to earlier stages where treatment is more effective.
- Through extensive community outreach and education campaigns, Markey Cancer Center has worked tirelessly to raise awareness about lung cancer risks, symptoms, and the importance of early detection and quitting smoking, helping reduce smoking rates.
- As a leading cancer research institute, Markey conducts cutting-edge research into lung cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, improving patient outcomes that contribute to the overall decline in death rates.
- By improving access to care and coordinating services in underserved areas of Kentucky, the center ensures more people receive timely, high-quality lung cancer treatment, treating patients from all 120 counties in Kentucky.
- The NIH-funded clinical trials at Markey Cancer Center provide Kentucky patients with access to the latest treatments for rare, aggressive, and treatment-resistant cancers, leading to breakthroughs like an innovative treatment for rare digestive tumors that has showed 86% of patients remaining cancer-free at one year after other treatments have stopped working.
