On November 4, 2003, Jon Gluck received some devastating news from his doctor: he had cancer. Subsequent tests would reveal it as multiple myeloma, a serious cancer affecting the blood and bone marrow.
At just 38 years old, Jon was told he might only have 18 months to live. He was a successful magazine editor in New York, and the thought of leaving behind his 7-month-old daughter — who he might never see turn three — was overwhelming.
“When I heard the diagnosis, I just kept saying, ‘no, no, no,’” Jon shared during an interview last week. “This can’t be happening.”
Fast forward to 2025, and Jon is still alive, defying predictions. He has faced multiple waves of remission and recurrence for over 20 years, something he reflects on with a mix of humor and insight in his new book, An Exercise in Uncertainty. That baby daughter is now off to college.
You could say Jon beat the odds, and he acknowledges that luck played a part in his journey. He notes in his book that the German word “Glück” means “luck,” highlighting how a slip on the ice led him to seek medical attention and catch his illness early. Cancer remains a significant health threat, responsible for one in six deaths worldwide, claiming nearly 10 million lives annually, including over 600,000 in the U.S.
Yet, Jon’s experience highlights a crucial point: we are making headway in the battle against cancer.
The age-adjusted cancer death rate in the U.S. has decreased by about a third since 1991, meaning people today have roughly a third lower risk of dying from cancer compared to their peers more than 30 years ago. This translates to over 4 million fewer deaths in that timeframe. With advancements in treatments like autologous stem-cell harvesting and CAR-T therapy — treatments that Jon himself has benefited from — cancer is no longer the automatic death sentence it once was.
Progress on the Horizon
Undeniably, the rise in smoking during the 20th century increased cancer deaths significantly, but the decline in tobacco use has led to a gradual decrease in those rates. Smoking is one of the most potent cancer-causing agents, and at its peak in the early 1960s, about 12 cigarettes were sold per adult daily in the U.S. As smoking rates dropped, a corresponding decline in lung cancer deaths followed, albeit after a delay.
Interestingly, even before smoking rates fell, death rates from other cancers — like stomach and colon cancers — were already beginning to decline. Moreover, childhood cancer rates also showed notable decreases, dropping sixfold since 1950. In the past, only about 10% of children diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia survived more than five years; today, that rate is over 90%. The five-year survival rate for all cancers has also risen from 49% in the mid-1970s to 69% in 2019.
We’ve made strides against complex cancers such as Jon’s multiple myeloma. When he was diagnosed, the five-year survival rate was around 34%. Nowadays, it has improved to about 62%, and more patients like him are living for decades. “There’s been a revolution in cancer survival,” Jon remarked. “Some cancers have more successful therapies than others, but the progress is undeniable.”
The significant drop in cancer deaths isn’t coincidental; it’s the result of several crucial developments.
While anti-smoking initiatives have been the most vital, other measures have also contributed to reducing cancer risks. One of the standout successes is the HPV vaccine; research shows that cervical cancer death rates in U.S. women aged 20-39 have plummeted by 62% from 2012 to 2021, largely due to the vaccine’s distribution. Vaccination also appears to reduce incidences of other cancers linked to infections.
The next big leap is improving early detection through screening. Generally, the earlier cancer is diagnosed, the better the survival rates. Jon’s own situation illustrates this. Research indicates that late-stage colorectal cancer rates among Americans over 50 fell by a third between 2000 and 2010, a change largely credited to the tripling of colonoscopy rates during that time. Innovations in screening methods, employing techniques like AI or blood tests, promise to make early detection simpler and more accessible, shifting the focus from identifying existing problems to catching cancer before symptoms arise.
Finally, potential breakthroughs in cancer treatment are particularly exciting, as seen in Jon’s own journey. From essential medications like lenalidomide and bortezomib in the 2000s, which helped double average myeloma survival rates, to the rise of monoclonal antibodies, treatment advancements have significantly enhanced survival — by years, not just months.
Among the most promising treatments is CAR-T therapy, a type of immunotherapy that repurposes the patient’s own T-cells to fight cancer. In a recent study involving multiple myeloma patients, a third of those treated with CAR-T showed no detectable cancer five years later — a remarkable outcome.
“CAR-T is incredible — almost like science fiction,” Jon expressed, noting that he underwent this treatment in mid-2023 and experienced a remission that he’s still enjoying. He described the process as leaving him “physically and metaphysically new.”
While there are still significant challenges in the cancer fight and areas where rates, like gastrointestinal cancers in younger people, are concerning, the future of cancer treatment appears to be brightening. For patients like Jon, this could mean managing the uncertainty that comes with living with a controllable yet potentially recurring disease.
But, as Jon puts it, “It certainly beats the alternative.”
“I’ve come to trust my doctors and the advancements we have,” he said. “I’m cautiously optimistic that my future will look a lot like the last 20 years.” It’s a more hopeful outlook than anyone could have imagined nearly 22 years ago.
