Stories of Discovery
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) supports research that drives progress in cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. This includes a broad range of research, from basic research into the biology shared by all kinds of cancers to research into how doctors can best communicate with patients to optimize health care.
Cancer is not just one disease but many diseases. There are more than 100 different types of cancer. This collection of Stories of Discovery portrays how NCI's role in cancer research has led to landmark developments in our understanding of cancer biology, prevention, detection, and treatment, improved the lives of those fighting cancer, and continues to create hope for tomorrow.
Cancer Prevention
- Leveraging Biology to Prevent Familial Colon Cancer
- Pursuing a Cancer Prevention Vaccine
- Preventing Cervical Cancer: The Discovery of HPV Vaccines
- Preventing Stomach Cancer: The Link to H. pylori Bacteria
- Working to Reduce the Cancer Burden Caused by Tobacco
Cancer Detection
- Detecting Cancer Early in Women with Dense Breasts
- Brushing the Airway to Detect Lung Cancer Earlier
- Lung Cancer Screening Saves Lives: The National Lung Screening Trial
- Enhancing Breast and Ovarian Cancer Care: The Discovery of BRCA1 and BRCA2
Cancer Treatment
Adult Cancer Treatment
- Basic Science Paves the Way for Kidney Cancer Drug Belzutifan
- Learning from Every Patient to Improve CAR T-Cell Therapies
- Combining Drugs to Treat Ovarian Cancer
- Stopping Multiple Myeloma in Its Tracks
- Thinking Chemically to Discover New Targeted Cancer Drugs
- Developing the First Precision Immunotherapy
- Making the Case for Biomarkers in Cancer Treatment
- Combining Immunotherapy and Radiation against Cancer
- Natural Compound Helps Treat Breast and Ovarian Cancers
- How Imatinib Transformed Leukemia Treatment and Cancer Research
- HER2's Genetic Link to Breast Cancer Spurs Development of New Treatments
- Velcade: A New Tool in the Fight against Multiple Myeloma
- The Discovery of Cisplatin and Other Platinum-Based Treatments for Testicular and Other Cancers
- Treatment of Solid Tumor Cancers with the Chemotherapy Drug Methotrexate
- Using the Immune System in the Fight against Cancer: Discovery of Rituximab
- Targeted Treatments for a Type of Pancreatic Cancer: Rapamycin and Other mTOR Inhibitors
- Treating Prostate Cancer Closer to Home
- Reaching the Stars with a New Immunotherapy Drug
Childhood Cancer Treatment
- Selumetinib: The First Effective Treatment for Plexiform Neurofibromas
- Hitting a Home Run with an Investigational Drug
- Using Tandem Transplants to Treat Neuroblastoma
- Searching for Less-Toxic Cancer Treatments for Kids
- Improving Outcomes for Patients with NF1
- TARGET Initiatives Leading the Way to New and Exciting Discoveries in Childhood Cancers
- Harnessing the Power of Our Immune Systems to Treat Neuroblastoma: Discovery of ch14.18 Immunotherapy
- Shrinking a Tumor, Changing a Life
Survivorship and Palliative Care
- Quitting Smoking after a Cancer Diagnosis
- Running (and Eating) Away from Cancer
- Relieving Mouth Sores from Cancer Treatment: The Discovery of Palifermin
Researcher Stories
- Engaging Local Communities to Reduce Cancer Disparities
- Extending Support for Early-Stage Investigators
- Addressing Cancer Disparities in Appalachia
- Bringing Research to the Community to Reduce Cancer Disparities
- Shining a Spotlight on Tumor Exosomes
- Striving to Eliminate Ovarian Cancer Disparities
- Analyzing a Picture to Prevent Cervical Cancer
- Reducing Cancer Risk by Implementing Our Discoveries