Artikkelit
27.03.2024
The Cancer Moonshot initiative – U.S. National efforts to fight cancer
For the past week, there has been numerous news reports related to the significant increase in the number of young cancer patients. Recent statistics have revealed a notable rise in cancer cases among under-50-year-old individuals in comparison to other age groups, and as we have seen, cancer does not exclude prominent figures in our society. These recent news have clearly promoted discussions on the need for more sensitive diagnostic methods as well as preventive actions. One ambitious project to tackle this problem in the US was launched in 2016: The Cancer Moonshot initiative was started for accelerating scientific breakthroughs on the field of cancer research with the help of extensive collaborations. Additionally, it aimed in unlocking the access of health care professionals to cancer-related data and taking the latest discoveries promptly to the clinics. In 2022, the President Biden made a recommitment to the program and set new, ambitious goals to cut the cancer death rate by at least half by 2047. This would prevent more than 4 million cancer deaths in the next 25 years. The current mission is implemented through a vast collaborative network and rigorous campaign towards eliminating cancer. The progression and future actions of the Cancer Moonshot program were just reassessed by the White House in early 2024.
A nationwide program to battle Cancer
Despite some significant advancements on the cancer field during the recent years, cancer remains the second leading cause of death in the United States, stressing the need for continued efforts around this major clinical problem. Each year, nearly two million Americans receive cancer diagnosis, and breast, lung, and colorectal cancers account for over half of the cancer-related deaths. Routine screenings, even when symptoms do not exist, play thus a critical role in early detection, greatly improving the chances for successful treatment. Additionally, early diagnosis can lead to reduced healthcare costs for the society as well as individuals undergoing the cancer treatments. This week, the topic has received even more attention on national television channels, and healthcare professionals have been discussing the reasons behind the notable increase in the number of cancer cases among young individuals. While our population continues to age, the rise in cancer cases is especially evident among young people. The cause behind this phenomenon is currently not well understood.
A massive program to fight cancer, the Cancer Moonshot initiative, was originally launched already in 2016 and it was funded through the 21st Century Cures Act with around 1.8 billion dollars over a seven-year period. Today, the Cancer Moonshot is a central component of President Biden’s Unity Agenda, which President himself described as a mission that can unite the whole nation and showcase our collective efforts. Federal agencies, healthcare professionals, researchers and patients in both public and private sectors are working together to accelerate progress in this mutual battle against cancer. Some of the main objectives of the program have included enhancing the availability of cancer screenings, identifying and addressing toxic and environmental risk factors, implementing preventive strategies to reduce cancer rates, promoting high-level research and innovations, as well as sharing the latest breakthroughs with patients and communities.
The program was re-ignited by President Biden in 2022, and recently in early 2024, several new announcements and follow-ups on its status were given by the White House. According to the latest reports, remarkable advancements have been achieved since the beginning of this initiative: Through the years, the Cancer Moonshot has for instance introduced over 60 other programs, policies, and resources targeting some priority actions in battling cancer deaths. Additionally, more than 120 private companies, non-profits, academic institutions, and patient groups have actively engaged in some new initiatives and collaborations. Innovative solutions, treatments and state-of the art medical tools have also been introduced to the clinics. Moreover, enhanced accessibility to cancer screenings through new screening programs have extended to every state of the U.S.
Ambitious research projects for better diagnosis and treatment strategies
Since its launching in 2016, the Cancer Moonshot has taken significant steps in research: The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has supported over 250 research projects that align with the original objectives of the Cancer Moonshot initiative, including support of discoveries, fostering collaborations, and enhancing open data access within the research community. These approaches have yielded valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms behind several cancers, leading to the identification of potential candidates for novel therapeutical targets and new strategies for cancer prevention and detection.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has recently also initiated a research network, dedicated to evaluating novel technologies for cancer detection. This network, known as the Cancer Screening Research Network (CSRN), plays a crucial role in supporting the Cancer Moonshot program, particularly in expanding the methodology to detect cancers at earlier stages when the treatments are still more effective. The CSRN has allocated funding to eight groups through NCI to kickstart the activities of this collaborative network. Unfortunately, many cancer types can still not be reliably detected until it is almost too late, and they become very difficult to treat. CSRN network may be able to provide some solutions to this problem. Additionally, new technologies such as multi-cancer detection tests have the potential to revolutionize the field of cancer screening and significantly improve patient outcomes.
The significance of the Moonshot initiative is also reflected to the available research funding: President Biden unveiled his federal fiscal year 2025 budget on March 11th, urging Congress to boost funding for NIH and allocate $716 million for NCI. This proposed budget also includes funding for the Cancer Moonshot program. Furthermore, the budget proposal aims in maintaining the funding of $1.5 billion for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). During its initial two years of operation, ARPA-H has initiated a range of high-risk, high-reward initiatives supported by the American College of Radiology. A newly launched initiative under the ARPA-H has also aimed in leveraging cutting-edge technologies to enhance real-time understanding of tumor dynamics and treatment possibilities for efficient treatment outcomes. In addition to these examples, there are several other ongoing approaches for fostering innovations in cancer research to enhance patient care.
Cooperation between national and international researchers to achieve the objectives in the Cancer Moonshot initiative
The national Moonshot Program has during the past years also expanded on international level: The National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health has for several years cooperated with Canada, Germany and Australia, and in 2022 announced the renewal of these collaborations. These partnerships have also been formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement and a consortium, NCI Cancer Moonshot International Cancer Proteo-genome Consortium, has been formed. The partners, forming this alliance, share a dedication to understand how genes and proteins within cells impact the development of certain cancers, and the ultimate aim is of course to enhance patient care through novel treatments.
In addition, the Moonshot program has kicked-off collaborations with Africa and Europe. Europe and the United States are jointly working for cancer prevention, detection, and care for cancer-affected individuals. This collaboration is focusing on childhood/young adult cancers as well as lung cancer within the frameworks of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and the US Cancer Moonshot. Through the collaboration, expert-level working groups aim to foster peer-learning, exchange best practices on the field, and offer guidance on potential joint initiatives to enhance cancer outcomes globally.
While the ongoing initiative has already made substantial progression in the US, there is still much to do and it is highly probable that new international collaborations, maybe also with Finnish partners, will emerge during this long journey. These collaborations will for sure play an important role in improving cancer detection and care, and contribute to the ultimate aim to save lives.
Sari Tojkander, Councelor for Science and Higher Education, Los Angeles
Photo: Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, located in Los Angeles, is part of the UCLA Health System and works in close cooperation with Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCLA, a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute, NCI. The Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center together with the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center are taking the latest research developments on cancer field to provide novel treatment options for the patients. The centers are combining joint efforts of research scientists and clinical doctors to translate the findings into practical solutions. Credit: Sari Tojkander
References:
• https://www.whitehouse.gov/cancermoonshot/
• https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/news-updates/2024/03/18/readout-of-biden-cancer-moonshot-roundtable-on-workforce-enabled-cancer-screenings-to-improve-american-health-outcomes/
• https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/17/health/cancer-incidence-rising-report/index.html
• https://www.cancer.gov/research/key-initiatives/moonshot-cancer-initiative/funding
• https://www.cancer.gov/research/key-initiatives/moonshot-cancer-initiative/about
• https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-study-outlines-opportunities-achieve-president-biden-s-cancer-moonshot-goal-reducing-cancer-death-rates-united-states
• https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/news-updates/2024/03/08/highlighting-a-year-of-progress-the-biden-harris-cancer-cabinet-takes-action-to-end-cancer-as-we-know-it/
• https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/news-updates/2024/03/08/fact-sheet-biden-cancer-moonshot-announces-commitments-from-leading-health-insurers-and-oncology-providers-to-make-navigation-services-accessible-to-more-than-150-million-americans/
• https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/news-updates/2024/02/02/statement-by-deputy-assistant-to-the-president-for-the-cancer-moonshot-dr-danielle-carnival-on-the-two-year-anniversary-of-the-biden-harris-administrations-re-commitment-to-the-biden-cancer/
• https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-launches-research-network-evaluate-emerging-cancer-screening-technologies
• https://www.acr.org/Advocacy-and-Economics/Advocacy-News/Advocacy-News-Issues/In-the-March-16-2024-Issue/White-House-Includes-NIH-Cancer-Moonshot-Funding-Increases-in-2025-Federal-Budget
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9934883/
• https://siop-online.org/news/advancing-cooperation-between-europes-beating-cancer-plan-and-us-cancer-moonshot/
• https://www.acr.org/Advocacy-and-Economics/Advocacy-News/Advocacy-News-Issues/In-the-March-16-2024-Issue/White-House-Includes-NIH-Cancer-Moonshot-Funding-Increases-in-2025-Federal-Budget
• https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/promoting-our-european-way-life/european-health-union/cancer-plan-europe_en