Decades of scientific investment have paid off just in the last month, with researchers announcing promising breakthroughs against cancers and other deadly afflictions. Why it matters: They're all the product of a rigorous innovation system that delivers — though some have one important limitation: All they can do is buy someone a few more years. The big picture: We're still in the era of medicine where most miraculous new drugs don't cure the disease as much as allow sick people to live longer