Release of the 2024 AACR Cancer Disparities Progress Report

Policy and Advocacy

Science Policy and Government Affairs

Through its Office of Science Policy and Government Affairs, the AACR serves as a commanding and compelling voice for the cancer research community. By providing authoritative information to policy makers about the critical value of scientific innovation, the AACR advocates for federally funded cancer research—and by cultivating collaboration among legislators, regulators, scientists, and the public, the AACR works to optimize the impact of the nation’s investment.

SCIENCE POLICY AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
CHAIR: ROY S. HERBST, MD, PHD

The AACR Science Policy and Government Affairs Committee identifies public issues of concern to the cancer research community and focuses on mechanisms for accelerating cancer research. Under the leadership of Chair Roy S. Herbst, MD, PhD, the committee educates legislators and government agencies about these issues and advocates for increased funding for cancer research.

AACR Scientific Report Briefings. AACR Scientific Reports are vital tools in the organization's enduring effort to provide policy makers and regulators with evidence of the critical impact of federally funded research on progress against cancer as well as science-based recommendations to improve public health. In 2024, AACR CEO Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), convened two Congressional Briefings, bringing together AACR leaders, congressional representatives, and cancer survivors to present these critical reports to the public:

May: AACR Cancer Disparities Progress Report 2024. Steering Committee Chair Robert A. Winn, MD, FAACR, and Steering Committee Members Marcia Cruz-Correa, MD, PhD, and Sanya A. Springfield, PhD, joined Dr. Foti in Washington, D.C., to present the third edition of this pioneering report, which showcased the progress being made toward cancer health equity and the ongoing need for a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach—including robust federal funding—to address this complex public health issue. U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), FDA Center for Tobacco Products Director Brian King, PhD, MPH, and several cancer survivors featured in the report joined the AACR leaders to highlight the challenge and the promise of cancer health equity.

AACR Cancer Disparities Progress Report 2024 Congressional Briefing

September: AACR Cancer Progress Report 2024. AACR President (2024–2025) Patricia M. LoRusso, DO, PhD (hc), FAACR, delivered the keynote address at this briefing in Washington, D.C., joining Steering Committee Members John L. Cleveland, PhD, and Michael Pignone, MD, MPH, and several featured cancer survivors to present the 14th edition of this essential report. The report underscored the wave of scientific breakthroughs—catalyzed by federal investments—that are deepening our understanding of the biological complexities of cancer and accelerating the development of more effective tools for prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment.

Early-Career Hill Day. In March, the AACR and its Associate Member Council hosted 20 Associate Members from 17 states for the ninth annual AACR Early-career Hill Day. The delegation of early-career scientists participated in more than 50 meetings with the offices of their senators and representatives, discussing the unique career challenges faced by investigators in training and advocating for continued robust funding for the NIH and NCI.

Participants in the AACR Early-career Hill Day

AACR/AACI Joint Hill Day. In May, the AACR and the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI) brought together more than 100 advocates from 25 states—including cancer center directors, scientists, clinicians, and survivors—for their annual Hill Day. The participants participated in more than 100 meetings with members of Congress or their staffs to emphasize the critical impact that biomedical research funding has on the lives of cancer patients.
AACR leaders and cancer survivors who participated in the Congressional Briefing to release the AACR Cancer Disparities Progress Report 2024—which was held the day before the Hill Day—joined the delegation to impress upon their representatives the critical importance of addressing cancer health disparities.

Participants in the AACR/AACI Joint Hill Day

Rally for Medical Research Hill Day. In September, more than 350 partner organizations representing patients, caregivers, researchers, and health care professionals gathered in Washington, D.C., for the 12th annual Rally for Medical Research Hill Day. The evening before the Rally—of which the AACR is a Founding Organizer and Lead Supporter—more than 270 advocates representing more than 30 states participated in a training session, where they learned about the appropriations process and effective strategies for communicating with lawmakers about the importance of robust annual funding increases for the NIH. The attendees then applied those skills while participating in more than 200 meetings with members of Congress.

Participants in the Rally for Medical Research Hill Day

REGULATORY SCIENCE AND POLICY SUBCOMMITTEE
CHAIR: KENNETH C. ANDERSON, MD, FAACR

The AACR Regulatory Science and Policy Subcommittee develops and implements programs and policy initiatives to improve the development, evaluation, and regulation of cancer drugs, biologics, and devices.

Improving Collection and Analysis of Overall Survival (OS) Data. In July 2023, the AACR collaborated with the FDA and the American Statistical Association (ASA) to conduct a workshop on “Overall Survival in Oncology Clinical Trials.” The workshop—which was moderated by AACR Regulatory Science and Policy Subcommittee Chair Kenneth C. Anderson, MD, FAACR—brought together researchers, statisticians, physicians, patients, regulators, and industry representatives to discuss emerging challenges with timely assessment of OS for novel therapies. In 2024, Dr. Anderson worked with FDA partners and AACR leaders and staff to publish the recommendations and considerations discussed by the workshop working groups that addressed the challenges associated with the development of a comprehensive plan for the evaluation of OS in cancer clinical trials. In September, the recommendations were published in a Perspectives article titled “Improving Collection and Analysis of Overall Survival Data” in the AACR journal Clinical Cancer Research.

FDA-AACR Workshops: Optimizing Clinical Trials. The AACR collaborated with the FDA to host two workshops in 2024 that addressed current challenges in the design and conduct of clinical trials:

February: Optimizing Dosages for Oncology Drug Products. Chaired by 2024–2025 AACR President Patricia M. LoRusso, DO, PhD (hc), FAACR, and Stacy Shord, PharmD, of the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, this workshop addressed quantitative approaches to selecting dosages for clinical trials, exploring a holistic approach instead of the current practice of relying on the maximum tolerated dose.

May: Trial Designs for Treatment Regimens with Multiple Phases. Chaired by AACR Past President (2018–2019) Elizabeth M. Jaffee, MD, FAACR, and FDA Division of Oncology 2 Director Harpreet Singh, MD, this workshop explored trial design and the potential for overtreatment in the perioperative space for early-stage breast, lung, and other cancers.

Michael Methner, Cancer Survivor / Advocate

A featured survivor in the AACR Cancer Progress Report 2024, Michael Methner was diagnosed with optic nerve glioma, a type of brain tumor that grows on or around the optic nerve, at two years of age. Four years of standard-of-care chemotherapy—which caused nausea and nerve pain—did not shrink the tumor but kept it from growing. When his cancer started to progress again, his oncologists tried two additional treatments, each of which provided some benefit but were halted due to debilitating side effects.

Michael then enrolled in a clinical trial testing an experimental targeted therapy, tovorafenib. The drug is designed to block the tumor-promoting activity of mutant RAF proteins, one of which was found on Michael’s tumor. The drug first stabilized and then shrank his tumor with minimal side effects, and today he is a vibrant 10-year-old whose passions include video games, fencing, and reading—and advocating for cancer research.

In September, Michael and his family traveled from their home in New Jersey to Washington, D.C. to attend the Congressional Briefing for the release of the AACR Cancer Progress Report. The next day, they participated in the Rally for Medical Research Hill Day (of which the AACR is a Founding Organizer), joining the New Jersey delegation to advocate for sustained federal funding for cancer research during meetings with the offices of Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ), and Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ)—whom Michael told, “Research is what is keeping me alive.”

Michael's parents, Mike and Emily, have also become passionate advocates for medical research as a result of their experience:

“This is all very much out of our wheelhouse, but it’s something Michael was clear about wanting to do,” said Emily. ”Sharing his story and doing what he can to support funding—that’s his way of giving back to the research that saved his life.”

Learn more about Michael’s story on the AACR Blog.

Survivor and Patient Advocacy

Through its Survivor and Patient Advocacy initiatives, the AACR fosters patient engagement in the research enterprise by building relationships between patient advocates and the scientific community.

AACR SCIENTIST↔︎SURVIVOR PROGRAM®

The AACR Scientist↔︎Survivor Program® (SSP) builds enduring partnerships among leaders of the scientific, survivor, and patient advocacy communities by convening them at AACR scientific meetings to engage with the latest innovative cancer science. Survivors and advocates attend focused lectures and scientific sessions with scientist mentors, fostering an exchange in which patients and advocates explore the biology behind treatment decisions and scientists learn about the impact their work has on the patient experience. Nearly 400 patient advocates participated in programs held during the AACR Annual Meeting 2024 in San Diego and the AACR International Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Los Angeles.

VIRTUAL PATIENT ADVOCATE FORUM: AI IN CANCER SCIENCE AND MEDICINE

Under the leadership of SSP founder Anna D. Barker, PhD, FAACR, the AACR launched the Patient Advocate Forum series in 2020, convening experts and leaders from across the cancer community to address topics of critical interest to patient advocates. In 2024, Dr. Barker moderated a session titled “Activating Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Cancer Science and Medicine,” which addressed the impact of patient engagement in AI, how AI can affect a patient’s cancer journey, the role of AI in the discovery of cancer biomarkers, and how AI can help track how tumors evolve during treatment.

CANCER TODAY MAGAZINE

Cancer Today is the AACR’s award-winning magazine and website for cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers. Published since 2011, the magazine has addressed important cancer topics in a comprehensive, understandable way. Cancer Today is a vital resource for those navigating a cancer diagnosis, treatment, or survival. Among the most read stories published in 2024 were the following:

Weight-loss Drugs and Cancer. Obesity and increased cancer risk have been linked. Could new drugs promising to reduce weight also lower the risk of cancer? Cancer Today Editor-in-Chief William G. Nelson, MD, PhD, addresses this important question.

Doctors Urge Need for ‘Common Sense Oncology.’ Many health care professionals say that the toll of some cancer treatments is out of sync with the purported benefits.

Preventing Blood Clots. Medical oncologist Michael B. Streiff discusses guidelines released by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network—a not-for-profit alliance of 33 leading cancer centers—to reduce the risk of life-threatening blood clots.

Ground Support. A Houston-based nonprofit helps cancer patients with an often-overlooked expense of treatment by offering free rides to and from medical appointments.

Cancer Care Does Not Move in Straight Lines. Cathy Nobil-Dutton, a clinical social worker and certified personal trainer, did all the right things to protect her health—but a uterine cancer diagnosis showed her life doesn’t always go as expected.

Sensorimotor Training Helps Prevent Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy. A recent study showed that sensorimotor training—an exercise program designed to stimulate the nervous system and improve motor control—can help keep the nervous system healthy during chemotherapy.

Living With Your Loved One’s Prostate Cancer. Christine Ledbetter reflected on the ways her husband’s prostate cancer affected their relationship and on the importance of finding support as a caregiver.

Distinguished Public Service Awards

The AACR Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals whose extraordinary work has exemplified the AACR’s mission to prevent and cure all cancers through research, education, communication, collaboration, science policy and advocacy, and funding for cancer research. During the Opening Ceremony at the AACR Annual Meeting 2024, the AACR honored two individuals who made extraordinary contributions to advancing the AACR’s mission through their leadership and commitment to cancer research.

AACR Distinguished Public Service Award

Worta McCaskill-Stevens, MD

Former Chief, Community Oncology and Prevention Trials Research Group
Former Director, Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP)
National Cancer Institute
Bethesda, Maryland

An AACR member from 2007 until her death in 2023, Dr. McCaskill-Stevens was honored posthumously for her enormous contributions to clinical cancer research, most notably cancer disparities research and cancer health equity—and for her relentless support of cancer clinical trials conducted in community hospitals and practices across the country—through her unparalleled leadership of NCORP. Dr. McCaskill-Stevens devoted her career to ensuring that countless minority and underserved cancer patients received the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge clinical trials, ensuring that these patient populations received the highest quality cancer health education, prevention, and treatment opportunities. The award also honored Dr. McCaskill-Stevens’ unwavering commitment to mentoring hundreds of students and early-stage investigators, who are now continuing her legacy in the cancer research community.

AACR Distinguished Public Service Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research

Franco Cavalli, MD

President, Foundation for the Institute of Oncology Research (IOR)
President, International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma (ICML)
President, International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group (IELSG)
Bellinzona, Switzerland

An AACR member since 1981, Dr. Cavalli was recognized for his longstanding scientific accomplishments in the breast cancer, leukemia, and lymphoma fields and for his impactful contributions to the development of therapeutics including cisplatin, carboplatin, and paclitaxel. He was also celebrated for his longstanding commitment to improving global cancer research and health through innovative mechanisms such as the initiation and long-term development of ICML, the world’s premier lymphoma conference. In addition to ICML, Dr. Cavalli was instrumental in the launch of several other entities that have propelled the field forward—including the IOR, the IELSG, the European School of Oncology (ESO), the Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland (IOSI), the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), the Bellinzona Institutes of Sciences (BIOS+), and the EORTC Early Clinical Trials Group—and the award acknowledged his extraordinary leadership and impact in this regard.