ADRIENNE McGIBBON: One of the areas foremost experts on cancer says the future of treatment and prevention is already here.

ROBERT WINN: Good morning to you all.

ADRIENNE McGIBBON: Dr. Robert Winn, an oncologist and the director of VCU Massey's Comprehensive Cancer Center, spoke about 21st century cancer treament during an event at the Science Museum of Virginia.

ROBERT WINN: We are making a difference in cancers.

There are more people now living with cancer than dying from cancer.

ADRIENNE McGIBBON: He highlighted advancements in targeted cancer treatments.

ROBERT WINN: But we also are developing now, get this and stay tuned, vaccines that we could potentially, even before you even got advanced cancer, we're going to identify you and intercept that cancer early.

ADRIENNE McGIBBON: Another cutting edge method for early detection: blood tests.

ROBERT WINN: What about not just a pap smear, but what about if we could just take a blood sample, maybe one tiny little drop and see if you had circulating tumors or circulating cells that would indicate that you have cancer?

This, folks, is where we are now.

ADRIENNE McGIBBON: Dr. Winn says one of the biggest hurdles is getting the most cutting edge treatment to those who need it.

ROBERT WINN: We're doing things like actually going out, believe it or not, into communities.

Where we do walkabouts, meaning that we meet with the political types of the council people or the delegates.

We are going into churches like in the Northern Neck where we just were.

We're going, where people are to tell the message.

ADRIENNE McGIBBON: More information is available at masseycancercenter.org.

Im Adrienne McGibbon, for VPM News.