时差N小时:美国国家癌症法案

During the first 30 years of the 20th century,America became a safer and healthier place. Livingconditions improved, causing many diseases toalmost disappear. One exception to this patternwas cancer, and in 1937 Congress established theNational Cancer Institute.

在20世纪前30年里，美国成为一个更安全更健康的国家。人民生活水平提高了，许多疾病也差不多销声匿迹了。唯一的例外就是癌症。1937年国会成立了国家癌症研究所。

By 1970, cancer had become the nation's secondleading cause of death. Texas Senator RalphYarborough sought to make its conquest a national priority. He led a group of medical experts,cancer advocates, and business leaders who explored the issue. They became commonly knownas the "Yarborough Commission."

到1970年，癌症是造成人口死亡的第二大原因。德克萨斯州参议员拉尔夫力图倡导国家大力抗击癌症。他还专门成立了小组来探讨这个问题，成员包括医疗专家、癌症倡导者以及商人领袖。

The Yarborough Report became the blueprint for the National Cancer Act, which was signedinto law in 1971 by President Richard Nixon. The National Cancer Act provided additionalfunding for the National Cancer Institute, establishing 15 new cancer research centers, localcancer control programs, and an international cancer data research bank.

理查德·尼克松总统于1971年签署了国家癌症法案，这条法案的蓝图就是 Yarborough 报告。国家癌症法案为国家癌症研究所提供了专项资金，并成立15处新的研究中心，地方癌症控制项目以及国际癌症研究资料库。

Its passage received a boost when popular columnist Ann Landers encouraged a flood of mailfrom her readers, urging representatives to vote for the bill. The goal for a simple cure forcancer remains elusive. But scientific knowledge about cancer continues to grow. Newtechniques for detection, diagnosis, and treatment are constantly emerging, as a result ofefforts of Congress and the American people.

安·兰德斯是一位广受欢迎的专栏女作家，她鼓励读者们以邮件的方式强烈要求众议院投票支持，这推动了法案的通过。但对癌症患者进行简单的治疗远远不够。不过人类对癌症的科学知识在不断增长，新的检查、诊断和治疗方法也在不断涌现，这些都是国会和美国人民一起努力的结果。