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First Anniversary of New War on Cancer Marks Many Advances

Goals and strategies from the U.S. Surgeons General provided roadmap to take decisive action in making cancer prevention and survivorship a national priority

In July 2008, Lance Armstrong and the four most recent U.S. Surgeons General joined collaborators from across the United States to launch the National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorship.

"In its first year, the National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorship has served as intended – a battle plan to meet specific national goals to improve cancer prevention, recommended screenings, early detection, treatment, and survivorship. We continue to call on all sectors of society to take action and make the war on cancer a national priority," said Richard Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., FACS, 17th U.S. Surgeon General (2002-2006) and president of the non-profit Canyon Ranch Institute.

Working to extend the positive effects of the National Call to Action, members of the National Call to Action community invite individuals and organizations to share their efforts and best practices in cancer prevention and survivorship. Responding to this survey will help to identify and promote important programs and policies.

Canyon Ranch Institute, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, and the four most recent U.S. Surgeons General launched the National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorship in Washington, D.C. on July 23, 2008. Numerous other collaborators were involved in developing the National Call to Action and many more have since joined the National Call to Action community.



A Battle Plan for the New War on Cancer

There are 12 million Americans living with cancer today. This year alone, 1.4 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer, and 560,000 will lose their lives to the disease. Cancer is a public health crisis that touches every American and costs our economy more than $400 billion per year.

In October 2007, Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., FACS, 17th Surgeon General of the United States (2002-2006) and President of Canyon Ranch Institute, brought together the former Surgeons General of the United States to address national and global public health issues. At the request of Lance Armstrong Foundation Chairman and Founder Lance Armstrong, four former United States Surgeons General collaborated with the cancer prevention and survivorship community to develop the National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorship.

Please click on the box below to download the National Call to Action and to learn what the NCTA means to you.



Background of the National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorship

The Canyon Ranch Institute-Lance Armstrong Foundation Partnership reached out to previous U.S. Surgeons General to develop an evidence-based National Call to Action. Using their combined expertise and access to the best available science, innovations and best practices in disease prevention and health promotion, the Surgeons General collaborated with the cancer prevention and survivorship community to develop the National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorship. The National Call to Action outlines a battle plan in the new war on cancer and serves as a roadmap for all Americans — including cancer survivors, health care professionals, policymakers, employers, educators, insurers, and scientists — to identify the best strategies for cancer prevention and survivorship and make both cancer prevention and survivorship a national priority.

At a series of workshops, experts in public health, science, government, business, health care, and other relevant fields focused on evidence-based health practices that can improve outcomes for those newly diagnosed with cancer and the nearly 12 million cancer survivors in the United States today.¹

Based on the input from these workshops and on their combined expertise, the participants identified the best strategies to make cancer prevention and survivorship a national priority.

These strategies are outlined in the National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorship, which was announced by Lance Armstrong and four former U.S. Surgeons General on July 23, 2008 in Washington, D.C.

Potential next steps: This partnership will continue to collaborate with the United States Surgeons General to share the best available science in cancer prevention and survivorship to re-engage the fight against cancer. The partnership is also considering other joint projects focused on cancer prevention and survivorship.




The National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorship community

The Lance Armstrong Foundation and Canyon Ranch Institute, with the leadership of four previous United States Surgeons General, brought together the cancer prevention and survivorship community, including leaders in public health, science, government, and healthcare, to develop the goals and strategies of the National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorship. Read what these experts are saying about the National Call to Action and how their organizations are working to make cancer prevention and survivorship a national priority.

Click here to read the NCTA Collaborator Statements

Read the NCTA collaborator Press Releases



Past events and background materials for the National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorship



CRI President Dr. Richard Carmona Issues A Message to Our Newly Elected Leaders –
November 3, 2008

Click here to read Dr. Carmona's message urging our newly elected leaders to make cancer prevention and survivorship a national priority.


National Call to Action Released to the American People - July 23, 2008

The National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorship was released to the American people on July 23, 2008 at a press conference held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Former U.S. Surgeons General Dr. Richard H. Carmona, Dr. David Satcher, Dr. Joycelyn Elders, and Dr. Antonia Novello came together with Lance Armstrong, founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, and numerous collaborators from the cancer prevention and survivorship community, to highlight the goals and proposed strategies for action in the war against cancer outlined in the National Call to Action.

Click Here to view additional information about the launch event, including the news release, collaborator statements, and speaker biographies.


Community Development of the NCTA

Below please find detailed information on the development of the National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorship, including workshop summaries and background materials.


National Call to Action Workshop – April 24, 2008

A diverse assembly of key leaders in public health, science, government, business, health care, and other relevant fields came together at the NCTA Workshop on April 24, 2008 in Washington, D.C. to continue discussions on how to bring together the best available science in a way that emphasizes prevention and survivorship in relation to the cancer continuum.

Workshop attendees participated in three panels, including Cancer: A Public Health Crisis; Defining a Public Health Approach toward Cancer Prevention and Survivorship; and Empowering All People to Take Action. The shared information from the Workshop was used to develop public health strategies that were incorporated into the National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorship.



National Call to Action Pre-Workshops - March 20, 2008 and March 31, 2008

This National Call to Action follows the format of previous Surgeon General's calls to action, bringing together people from all sectors of society through a series of pre-workshops and a workshop to develop potential goals and strategies needed to transform the national culture in order to make cancer prevention and survivorship a national priority.

The primary focus of Pre-Workshop #1 on March 20 was to review potential key topics, identify potential stakeholders, and create a framework for the NCTA. The purpose of Pre-Workshop #2 on March 31 was to continue discussions about the NCTA structure and to begin outlining goals that will translate the best science available into a roadmap for action with focal points emphasizing cancer prevention and survivorship.



Background Materials:

The pre-workshop participants reviewed recent Office of the Surgeon General calls to action as potential structure models for the NCTA, and also identified three specific documents that were viewed as potential “foundation” or source documents for the NCTA:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF), A National Action Plan for Cancer Survivorship: Advancing Public Health Strategies, April 2004.


Institute of Medicine Report (IOM), Fulfilling the Potential for Cancer Prevention and Early Detection, 2003. Susan J. Curry, Tim Byers, and Maria Hewitt, Editors, National Research Council.
View online posting at The National Academies Press website.

Office of the Surgeon General Calls to Action on Public Health Issues
View Website

President's Cancer Panel (PCP), 2006-2007 Annual Report, Promoting Health Lifestyles: Policy, Program, and Personal Recommendations for Reducing Cancer Risk, August 2007.


This program is made possible by a joint collaboration between the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which seeks to inspire and empower people affected by cancer, and Canyon Ranch Institute, which helps to educate, inspire, and empower every person to prevent disease and embrace a life of wellness.






1 Data sources: NCI SEER November 2006 Submission.