Why is Cancer Research so important?

this is why Cancer Research is so important... an update from Cancer Research UK that my sister forwarded to me:

New drug improves survival for advanced prostate cancer patients Dear Jill, A promising new prostate cancer treatment, which Cancer Research UK helped to develop, has shown very encouraging potential in clinical trial results published today. The trial investigated the possible benefits of the drug for patients with prostate cancer that has proved resistant to other treatments and has advanced following chemotherapy. The trial shows that the drug, abiraterone, put a brake on the growth of the cancer and extended the life of these patients by around 4 months on average. The drug is not yet available to patients, but with aggressive prostate cancer claiming 10,000 lives in the UK each year, these results will hold great promise for thousands of patients and their families. The trial shows how scientific research to discover and develop new treatments for cancer, research that our supporters fund, can benefit patients. With such promising results, we at Cancer Research UK hope to see the new drug licensed and made available to patients in the very near future. Take a look at our science blog for more details on how this new drug could change the lives of thousands of prostate cancer patients. Thank you, as ever, for your support, Melanie Day Cancer Research UK