We Can Walk on the Moon—So Why Can’t We Cure Cancer?

By Marvin Dixon | VMGReview.com

Over the past two decades, technology and science have advanced at an astonishing rate. We have developed robots that can outrun humans, artificial intelligence capable of processing enormous amounts of information, self-driving vehicles, and spacecraft that can travel millions of miles.

More than half a century ago, humanity demonstrated its ability to put a man on the moon.

Yet cancer continues to take our parents, spouses, children, siblings, friends, and neighbors.

That raises a painful but legitimate question: With all our scientific knowledge and technological power, why haven’t we cured cancer?

For Me, This Is Personal

For me, this issue is personal. I am living with cancer, so I understand that the statistics in this article represent real people and real families.

I know what it means to undergo treatment, experience physical changes, and wonder why—after so many scientific achievements—we still cannot cure many forms of this terrible disease.

I share my story not to seek sympathy, but to call for greater urgency, stronger research, affordable treatment, and hope for every person fighting cancer.

Behind every cancer statistic is a human being with a name, a family, a history, and dreams for the future. We are more than patients and numbers on a medical chart. We are people fighting to live.

The Human Cost of Cancer

The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2026:

• Approximately 2.1 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer.
• About 626,140 Americans will die from the disease.
• That is approximately 1,700 cancer deaths every day—more than one death every minute.

Worldwide, the numbers are even more disturbing. The World Health Organization reported approximately 20 million new cancer cases and 9.7 million cancer deaths in 2022.

Without stronger prevention, screening, treatment, and access to quality healthcare, the global cancer burden is expected to continue growing.

America’s Deadliest Cancers

The following cancers are expected to cause the greatest number of deaths in the United States during 2026:

Cancer type	Estimated U.S. deaths
Lung and bronchus	124,990
Colorectal	55,230
Pancreatic	52,740
Breast	42,670
Prostate	36,320
Liver and intrahepatic bile duct	30,980
Leukemia	23,910
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	19,970

These eight cancer groups are expected to account for nearly two-thirds of all cancer deaths in America during 2026.

Lung cancer remains the leading cancer killer, causing more deaths than colorectal and pancreatic cancers combined.

Pancreatic cancer is especially devastating because it is frequently discovered after it has already spread. The American Cancer Society estimates approximately 67,530 new pancreatic cancer cases and 52,740 deaths in 2026.

Prostate cancer also deserves serious attention, particularly within the Black community. According to the American Cancer Society, the incidence of prostate cancer is nearly 70% higher among Black men than White men.

Why Isn’t There One Cure?

Cancer is not just one disease. It is a collection of more than 100 diseases involving abnormal cells that grow, change, spread, and respond to treatment differently.

A treatment that works for one form of breast cancer may not work for pancreatic, lung, stomach, prostate, or blood cancer. Even two people with cancer in the same organ may have tumors with different genetic characteristics.

Cancer cells also originate from our own bodies. That makes them difficult to destroy without damaging healthy cells and tissue. Some cancer cells change over time, resist treatment, hide from the immune system, or spread before a person experiences noticeable symptoms.

Therefore, scientists are not searching for only one cure. They are searching for many cures, better treatments, earlier detection methods, and ways to prevent different cancers from developing.

Progress Has Been Made—but Is It Enough?

We should not ignore the progress that has been made. Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapies, immunotherapy, genetic testing, and improved screening have saved millions of lives.

The cancer death rate in America declined by approximately 34% from 1991 through 2022. There are also approximately 18.6 million Americans living with a history of invasive cancer.

Nevertheless, progress offers little comfort to a family watching someone they love suffer through this disease.

It is also difficult to celebrate scientific advancements when lifesaving treatment may be unaffordable or unavailable to the people who need it most. Where a person lives, how much money that person earns, and the quality of insurance coverage should never determine whether that person has an opportunity to survive.

Prevention and Early Detection Save Lives

Not every cancer can be prevented, but the American Cancer Society estimates that at least 40% of newly diagnosed cancers among American adults are potentially avoidable.

People may be able to reduce their cancer risk by:

• Avoiding tobacco and secondhand smoke
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Limiting alcohol consumption
• Exercising regularly
• Protecting their skin from excessive sun exposure
• Receiving recommended HPV and hepatitis B vaccinations
• Discussing their family medical history with a healthcare provider
• Completing recommended breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, and prostate screenings

Early detection can mean the difference between treating cancer successfully and discovering it after it has spread to other parts of the body.

Cancer Research Must Remain a National Priority

If humanity can place people on the moon, build machines that imitate human intelligence, and create robots with extraordinary abilities, then we must bring that same urgency, investment, and determination to fighting cancer.

We must demand continued funding for cancer research, affordable treatment, greater minority participation in clinical trials, and equal access to early screening. A scientific breakthrough means little if ordinary families cannot benefit from it.

Cancer does not care about political affiliation, income, race, religion, or social status. Eventually, nearly every family will be affected by it.

The question is not whether science has made progress. It has.

The real question is: Are we doing everything within our power to prevent cancer, detect it sooner, make treatment affordable, and stop so many families from losing the people they love?

I am living this battle, and I will continue using my voice to speak for myself and for others who are fighting alongside me.

We do not want pity. We want progress. We want affordable care. We want more effective treatments—and we want hope.

Read. Share. Join the Conversation.

What do you believe America should do differently to make cancer research, early screening, and affordable treatment a greater national priority?

Sources: American Cancer Society—Cancer Facts & Figures 2026 | National Cancer Institute—SEER Cancer Statistics | World Health Organization

Marvin Dixon/Founder

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