ASPO Abstracts
Insights on Cancer Prevention Research from the 2021 Global Oncology Survey of NCI-Designated Cancer Centers
Category: Global Cancer Research
Conference Year: 2023
Abstract Body:
Purpose: In 2021 the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) Center for Global Health conducted a survey of the 71 NCI-Designated Cancer Centers about their global oncology programs and research projects across the cancer continuum, including cancer prevention. The survey results highlight non-NIH-funded global activities led by the cancer centers and complement data about global oncology research funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). The survey was previously conducted in 2012, 2014, and 2018. This analysis focuses on global cancer prevention research led by cancer centers. Methods: The NCI designed and fielded an online survey to global oncology contacts and principal investigators (PIs) of research projects from July 2021 through January 2022. Data about NIH grants were sourced from internal systems and the International Cancer Research Partnership database. Analysis was conducted in Microsoft Excel and Python and projects were categorized by Common Scientific Outline (CSO) code by PIs. Results: Ninety-four percent (67/71) of cancer centers responded to the survey, and 91% of those were involved in global oncology. Cancer centers reported a total of 517 non-NIH funded global oncology projects, 93 of which (18%) had a CSO code of prevention. These projects were led by 32 cancer centers and included research on 37 cancer sites. Cancer centers collaborated with institutions in 59 countries for these projects, including 40 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). By comparison, when examining NIH-funded grants held by cancer centers with international collaborators in fiscal year 2021, prevention research accounted for 12% of grants. Conclusions: Prevention research accounts for the lowest proportion by CSO code of NIH-funded global oncology research and second-lowest proportion of NIH grants with international collaborators led by NCI-Designated Cancer Centers, and these proportions have remained stagnant since the previous survey in 2018. Cancer centers are attempting to fill this gap and are conducting more global prevention research with their non-NIH funding than their NIH funds. More support for global cancer prevention research, particularly led by and in collaboration with LMICs, is needed to address the growing global burden of cancer.
Keywords: global oncology; cancer prevention, low- and middle-income countries, funding