Cancer is just one of the most complex diseases of our time. Despite the fact that modern medicine has developed effective treatments over-time, the disease still continues to hold many unanswered questions.

Cancer Research is the extensive scientific study about cancer that aims to improve the understanding of the disease. There are plenty of areas of research, each centering on a certain area of cancer research scientists. Some focus on new treatment modalities, effects of combination therapy, side effects and the effectivity of current treatment being employed in today's medicine. This is the sort of research that gave rise to modern treatment modalities like chemotherapy and radiation.

Some study focus on the epidemiology of cancer, the causes, risks and lifestyle changes that can reduce someone's risk of developing the disease. This place of cancer research includes the research of how the environment contributes to the development of cancer. It also includes the research of genetics and how this affects someone's susceptibility to certain types of cancers.

As a result of the increasing range of cancer cases, many research groups have emerged, each concentrating on a far more specific area of study. Several of the groups that conduct cancer research will be the Northern California Cancer Center, Lance Armstrong Foundation and Israel Cancer Research Fund to name several.

Most of these research institutes are funded privately or through donations. There happen to be controversies surrounding cancer studies, most notably the usage of animals as study subjects. Researchers commonly use mice to study the expansion of cancer cells or to check the effectivity of new treatment. Pro animal groups have criticized this practice but scientists are quick to defend their posts saying that they make sure all animal subjects that can be injected with cancer cells are treated.

Irrespective of one's views regarding these studies, there is no denying that cancer studies have contributed significantly to the present awareness of the disease and has produced treatment that has saved millions of lives.