Forty years of translational cancer research.

Forty years after the signing of the National Cancer Act, we have produced a stunning repository of scientific information that is being translated into better therapies for patients. Although challenges remain, many solutions have been adopted, leading to early signs of progress against some of humankind's most dreadful diseases. This Prospective attempts to highlight some of the approaches that have been successful and analyze some that have not, and peers into a future in which renewal of the investment in cancer research will produce further benefits for patients.