By Vinay Jain, MD

As you read this, we have just returned from the 2003 meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in Chicago, where, for six days the latest studies and findings were reported to more than 20,000 oncologists, researchers, and other participants who gathered to explore updates and celebrate the newest advances in cancer research and treatment.

It has been an exciting year since the last ASCO meeting. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved five new drugs you may have first read about in CURE: Eloxatin^TM (oxaliplatin) for colon cancer, Velcade^TM (bortezomib) for multiple myeloma, Iressa^TM (gefitinib) for lung cancer, Emend^® (aprepitant) for the prevention and control of nausea, and Bexxar^®(tositumomab) for the treatment of lymphoma.

Those of us who deal with cancer on a daily basis struggle with the lack of options for some cancers and look with excitement at new possibilities added to our arsenal.

Look for other updates from ASCO throughout this edition of CURE.
CURE also has a lot to celebrate this year. Of the more than 700 new magazines launched in the United States last year, CURE has been named one of the top 10 by Library Journal and one of the top 30 by Samir Husni’s
Guide to New Consumer Magazines.

On the staff side, CURE celebrates two new additions to the staff. Publisher Susan McClure, who will be handling advertising and distribution of the magazine in addition to overseeing editorial, is a breast cancer survivor who brings an extensive magazine sales background to our staff. The second addition, Ian Thomas Moore-Timpa, joined the staff indirectly when he was born to our medical illustrator Erin Moore on May 10.

This issue’s cover story on lung cancer was a difficult piece since lung cancer continues to be among the deadliest cancers. But we want you to see the faces and feel the promise of the small steps being made toward a better resolution of this disease.

Heidi Schultz Adams, founder of Planet Cancer, brings her personal sparkle and commitment to the issue of young adult survivors, and kidney cancer and cancer-associated weight loss round out the features. Departments look at anemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, spirituality, relationships, and retreats. Also visit www.curetoday.com for additional articles on clinical trials, pancreatic cancer advocacy, caregiving, and more.

Our next issue is already in the works and will be devoted to breast cancer in honor of breast cancer awareness month. Tentative Winter issue features include ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, humor, bone metastasis, and the process by which a drug comes to market.

Hundreds of you have already taken the time to fill out the survey we included in the Spring issue to determine how we can make CURE better. We have been intrigued to read your comments and suggestions, all of which will be taken into consideration for planning 2004.

Remember to recommend CURE to your friends and family. We now have more than 150,000 home subscribers and another 300,000 who get CURE at their doctors’ offices. We are excited to be participants in your cancer journey and hope we have in some way eased your experience.

You will also be hearing about an exciting new project that will be launched early next year. CURE will have a new sibling, a magazine for survivors. Where CURE focuses on getting well, this new magazine will focus on staying well and living as a survivor, which we define as from the day of diagnosis and for the rest of your life. We will keep you posted.