What the National Cancer Act Made Possible

Environmental, behavioral, familial, and genetic factors can all play a role in determining someone’s risk for cancer. Through ongoing research, our understanding of these risk factors and their connection to this disease continues to evolve and along with it, our ability to better prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer.

What once seemed impossible in cancer research is now a reality thanks to a number of technological innovations that have led to breakthroughs in the ways we find, visualize, understand, and treat cancer. Continuing to explore and use these technologies can open the door to accelerate progress against this disease.

Cancer affects millions of people each year, but it doesn’t have to be that way. From clinical trials to major public health campaigns, efforts to understand and communicate about cancer at every level are helping us refine prevention and screening methods, catch cancer sooner (and thus treat it sooner), and, ultimately, save more lives.

There have been great strides in childhood cancer research in the last 50 years, but there’s still a need for quicker progress to improve outcomes for all children with cancer. That’s why we’re advancing clinical trials through sharing data, making treatments less toxic, working to better the quality of life for patients and survivors, and performing the critical research needed to accelerate progress—all to give every child the best future possible.

Thousands of people, one goal: to end cancer as we know it. Whether it's at the bench or bedside, in a classroom or in an office, the dedicated individuals that make up the cancer research workforce are collaborating across disciplines, mentoring the next generation of diverse talent, and developing an inclusive pipeline, to propel cancer research into the future.

Significant advances in cancer treatment in the past few decades have revolutionized care. With targeted therapies, new approaches and technologies, and improvements in conventional treatments like chemotherapy, research is moving forward in ways that are bringing hope to families and ensuring a better quality of life for more patients touched by cancer.

Much of the recent improvement in 5-year survival rates for all cancers combined is the result of discoveries across the past five decades that have shaped our understanding of what cancer is, its biological and social risk factors, and how it grows and spreads. Thanks to the individuals who perform this research, more lives have been saved and great strides were made in preventing, diagnosing, and treating this collection of diseases.

The 1960s saw a surge in activism to end widespread institutionalized racism, including in health care, where little was being done to study and address disparities. Since then, progress has been made in areas like inclusive cancer data collection, community outreach, and organizational change within medical institutions. But as is evident from current social justice movements and the COVID-19 pandemic, disparities still exist and remind us how much is left to do to build a truly equitable society.

Collecting and securely sharing cancer research data is saving lives. It allows researchers to identify trends, patterns, and other insights that could be used to inform screening and treatment approaches, all while protecting patient privacy. And as we work to deliver on the promise of precision medicine, it’s exciting to witness the power of these data in improving outcomes for patients and families.

Clinical trials help inform our understanding of cancer and improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care. But this progress could not happen without the people who take part in and those who connect people with trials. These professionals also work to ensure that people who need them have equal access to trials, with the goal of helping all people benefit from trials and their results.

There are nearly 17 million cancer survivors in the United States, and each will contend with the effects of their diagnosis and treatment in different ways. Personalized treatment options continue to be studied, but as the number of survivors keeps growing, research is also being devoted to finding ways to improve overall care and well-being so that survivors can go on to live longer, healthier lives.

Cervical cancer kills 300,000 people globally each year, but it doesn’t have to be this way. With the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and the advent of more convenient and accessible screening methods like self-sampling, it is now possible to prevent cervical cancer entirely or catch it early enough to cure it. And through partnerships with other countries, more clinical trial data are emerging that could further improve global prevention efforts so that we can get rid of cervical cancer for good.

Cancer advocates have a long history of making sure patients' voices get heard. In fact, one notable advocate had a major role in making the National Cancer Act a reality. Meet these not-so-silent allies of yesterday and today who challenge the status quo, push for progress, and accelerate change in the world of cancer.

NCI-Designated Cancer Centers provide breakthrough approaches to preventing, diagnosing, and treating all types of cancers. Today, there are 71 centers in 36 states that are composed of multidisciplinary teams that deliver cutting-edge research, clinical trials, and state-of-the-art treatment facilities to all Americans, including many underserved communities. Earning an NCI designation is an honor reserved for only the top cancer centers in the nation.