component of the Program is designed to hasten the practical 

 apphcation of results from the research program. 



Toward the attainment of this Goal, a Program was devised which 

 delineated seven major Objectives: 



1. Develop the means to reduce the effectiveness of external 

 agents for producing cancer. 



2. Develop the means to modify individuals in order to minimize 

 the risk of cai cer development. 



3. Develop the means to prevent transformation of normal cells 

 to cells a cable of forming cancer. 



4. Develop the means to prevent progression of precancerous 

 cells to cancer, the development of cancers from precancerous 

 conditions, and spread of cancers from primary sites. 



5. Develop the means to achieve an accurate assessment of (a) the 

 risk of developing cancer in individuals and in population groups 

 and (b) the presence, extent and probable course of existing 

 cancers. 



6. Develop the means to cure cancer patients and to control the 

 progress of cancer. 



7. Develop the means to improve the rehabilitation of cancer 

 patients. 



It is not the purpose of this report to assess whether, indeed, the 

 stage had been set adequately for the major effort which this Plan 

 entails. Nor is the purpc^e to assess the general structure of the Plan 

 and its balance, or to comment on the relative resources which should 

 be applied to the several program elements. The purpose, rather, is to 

 emphasize the criticality of fundamental biological understanding to 

 the success of the total endeavor. 



Adequacy of the Current State of Basic Research 



A successful and efficient attack on cancer — or on any of the 

 problems discussed in this report — requires an adequate level of basic 

 scientific knowledge. Such knowledge is necessary for understanding 

 the nature of the problem, the etiology, dynamics, and symptoms of 

 the disease(s). In the absence of this knowledge, the problem cannot be 

 defined with sufficient precision to attack it. Basic knowledge is 

 needed also to provide plausible approaches to the prob- 

 lem — directions of attack which can be implemented and which hold 

 some promise of success. Without this degree of knowledge, any 

 approach is perforce trial and error and must depend upon fortuitous 

 events for its success. Lacking an adequate base of understanding, 

 efforts to cope with cancer are likely to fail and are certain to waste 

 valuable resources and precious time in the process. 



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