Today, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) released the 12th edition of its annual Cancer progress report, which chronicles how basic, translational, and clinical cancer research, and cancer-related population sciences, primarily supported by federal investments in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), remain vitally important to improving health and saving lives.
The comprehensive report provides up-to-date cancer incidence, mortality, and survivorship statistics and discusses the latest research in cancer etiology, biology, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, including the use of artificial intelligence (AI)-based early detection systems and liquid biopsies that are moving rapidly to the clinic.
Additionally, the report features the personal stories of patients who have benefited from innovative, recently approved anticancer therapeutics.
It also addresses ongoing challenges in cancer research, including cancer health disparities and the physical, psychosocial, and financial hardships faced by cancer survivors, and outlines policy recommendations to ensure that the US maintains its momentum against cancer for all patients.
“Basic research discoveries have driven the remarkable advances that we've seen in cancer medicine in recent years,” said AACR President Lisa M Coussens, PhD, FAACR. “Targeted therapies, immunotherapy, and other new therapeutic approaches being applied clinically all stem from fundamental discoveries in basic science. Investment in cancer science, as well as support for science education at all levels, is absolutely essential to drive the next wave of discoveries and accelerate progress.”
Cancer researchers continue to make advances that improve, extend, and save lives.
The following section highlights progress during the 12 months covered by the report (August 1, 2021 to July 31, 2022):
Despite the unprecedented progress being made against cancer in recent years, this complex disease remains a significant threat to human health around the world.
In the US alone, it is estimated that more than 600,000 lives will be lost to cancer in 2022.
As discussed in the AACR Cancer Progress Report 2022, cancer research and patient care face several challenges:
To mitigate these and other challenges, and to enable sustained progress for all patients, the AACR Cancer Progress Report 2022 lays out clear policy recommendations and calls on Congress to take specific actions, including:
“Thanks to the bipartisan leadership in Congress that has delivered steady, significant annual funding increases for NIH in recent years, we have never been in a better position to take lifesaving cancer science from the bench to the clinic,” said Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), chief executive officer of the AACR. “Ensuring that medical research remains a high priority for our nation’s policy makers is vital if we are to maintain the momentum in advances against cancer, especially as we recover from the devastating impact of COVID-19 on cancer research and patient care.”
The World Cancer Declaration recognises that to make major reductions in premature deaths, innovative education and training opportunities for healthcare workers in all disciplines of cancer control need to improve significantly.
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