Plan to Cut Cancer Deaths 50% Advanced by Federal Institute

The National Cancer Institute said Tuesday that the aggressive use of existing knowledge could cut the annual cancer death rate by half by the year 2000.

The institute released a plan, combining cancer prevention, screening, early detection and treatment, that it said could produce dramatic results by the turn of the century if it were adopted as a national goal.

462,000 Deaths

“Knowledge gained over the years can be used to control a significant portion of the disease which was responsible for an estimated 462,000 deaths in 1985,” said Dr. Vincent T. DeVita, director of the government’s lead agency in the war on cancer.

The plan calls for stepped-up campaigns against cigarette smoking and poor diet and earlier use of the latest diagnostic and treatment techniques.

“The report on cancer control objectives is important because it represents a comprehensive plan of action,” DeVita said.

The strategy, developed to meet national disease prevention objectives established by the Department of Health and Human Services, would require cooperation from the public, industry, health professions, news media and government to succeed, DeVita said.

Among other things, it calls for industry to increase health promotion in the workplace, the news media to better spread information about cancer prevention and control, voluntary organizations to offer more health education and screening programs at the local level and health professional groups to re-emphasize cancer control in training programs.

The national mortality rate from cancer in 1980, based on the latest available data, was 183 deaths per 100,000 persons. This figure could be cut by as much as 50% in 15 years by using the prevention and treatment knowledge already available, institute officials said.

More Fiber Urged

The plan recommends that people reduce the amount of fat in their diets to less than 30% of total calories and increase their daily consumption of fiber by eating more fresh fruits, grains and vegetables.

It calls also for raising to 80% from 15% the number of women ages 50 to 70 who undergo annual breast physical exams combined with X-ray mammography. This could reduce breast cancer mortality by 30% in this group, the plan said.