The Cancer Moonshot is a national initiative focused on accelerating progress in the fight against cancer. This undertaking aims to significantly reduce cancer’s impact on individuals and society by driving advancements in research, prevention, and treatment. It brings together various sectors to leverage scientific innovation, seeking to transform the landscape of cancer care and outcomes for patients and their families.
Origin and Purpose
The Cancer Moonshot launched in 2016 by then-Vice President Joe Biden, driven by a personal commitment to the fight against cancer. This effort received legislative backing through the 21st Century Cures Act, which provided nearly $2 billion in initial funding over seven years. The original vision was to achieve a decade’s worth of scientific progress in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment within a five-year timeframe.
In 2022, President Biden reignited the Cancer Moonshot, renewing its focus and expanding its scope. The updated initiative emphasizes accelerating cancer research and discovery, building upon its initial phase. Its purpose remains to improve cancer outcomes and enhance the lives of those affected by the disease.
Key Goals
The Cancer Moonshot has defined objectives. Its initial launch aimed to accelerate scientific discovery in cancer, foster greater collaboration among researchers, and improve the sharing of vital data. These foundational goals sought to streamline the research process and break down traditional silos.
With the reignited initiative in 2022, goals became more specific. A primary objective is to reduce the cancer death rate by at least 50% over the next 25 years, by 2047. The initiative also strives to improve the overall experience for individuals living with cancer and their families, enhancing support systems and quality of life.
Strategic Focus Areas
The Cancer Moonshot concentrates on several strategic areas of research and innovation. A focus is placed on enhancing cancer screening and early diagnosis. Efforts also extend to boosting prevention strategies.
The initiative prioritizes addressing inequities in cancer care, ensuring advancements reach all populations, including underserved communities. Ensuring patients receive appropriate treatment, often through precision oncology, is another area. The Moonshot also seeks to accelerate progress against rare and childhood cancers.
Supporting patients, survivors, and caregivers throughout the cancer journey is a central component, alongside increasing the sharing of research data to foster collaborative scientific advancements. Specific initiatives include the NCI Cancer Research Data Commons to facilitate data exchange and the Human Tumor Atlas Network to map tumor evolution.
Impact and Progress
Since its inception, the Cancer Moonshot has spurred action across various sectors. The initiative has contributed to the announcement of over 120 new programs, policies, and resources. More than 225 private companies, non-profit organizations, academic institutions, and patient groups have committed to new actions and collaborations.
Notable achievements include increased access to cancer navigation services. Research efforts led to an immuno-oncology translational network for adults and a pediatric immunotherapy discovery and development network for childhood cancers. The initiative also supported studies to overcome cancer’s resistance to therapies and develop improved guidelines for managing treatment side effects. The Department of Defense expanded its Applied Proteogenomics Organizational Learning and Outcomes (APOLLO) network to encompass all hospitals and cancer types.