The elusive goal: presidential address.

The advances in treatment of cancer which have taken place during the last 25 years are quite remarkable considering that therapists have had at their disposal only what has been called half-way technology. About 45% of serious cancers are now curable with surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy or combined forms of these treatments, but prospects for developing curative therapy for the other half of cancer patients are not bright unless more selective forms of treatment can be developed. Recent advances in basic biology have opened doors to marvelous new research opportunities hardly imaginable a few years ago, and the time is opportune to make a concerted effort to develop more selective treatment.