Texas has opportunity to become nation's premier cancer research state

The general obligation bonds would only be issued as needed as the program proceeds, with repayment to be made between 2009 and 2038. By spreading the debt over that long a period of time, the effect on the state's budget would be minimized.

Already at the forefront of cancer treatment because of the success of the internationally recognized M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, the addition of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute would more than double the money being spent for cancer research in Texas. And because all grant recipients would be required to provide 50 percent matching funds, the grants would leverage even more research spending in the state. The effects would be far-reaching - from attracting private dollars and investments to attracting related businesses that would create jobs for Texans.

Cancer is the number two killer of Texans, and the Texas Cancer Registry estimates that 95,000 of your fellow Texans will be diagnosed with some form of cancer this year alone. Unfortunately, more than 37,000 of those who are diagnosed will die.

National figures show just how many lives are touched by cancer in some way. Consider these sobering facts from the National Cancer Institute:

• Approximately 10 million people living in the United States have a history of cancer
• Some 650,000 of those with a cancer history are Texans
• Every day in this country, 1,500 Americans die of cancer

Not only is cancer deadly, but it also takes its toll on the state's economy and its people. The estimated direct and indirect economic cost of cancer to the state of Texas is $30 billion per year.

On the other hand, a study by the National Health Institute shows that every $1 invested in medical research returns approximately $16 in savings for medical care, while another study reveals that every $1 increase in public basic science funding translates into $3.15 in pharmaceutical investments.

The investment in a cancer research institute in Texas could hasten breakthrough discoveries in cancer research that could help to both treat and prevent cancer. In addition to saving lives, it would also boost economic growth through job creation and construction of new research facilities and laboratories.

Austin's own cancer survivor and seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong and his foundation are among a number of high-profile supporters of the proposed institute. Last week he announced a bus tour that will begin tomorrow, Saturday, at the Texas State Capitol in Austin and then travel to events in Dripping Springs, the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, Houston and San Antonio.