Study shows there are disparities in cancer research and advocacy funding

A new Cleveland Clinic study shows there are disparities in cancer research and advocacy funding and that less funding strongly correlates with fewer clinical trials in a particular disease.

Published today in JCO Oncology Practice, the study shows that many cancers with high incidence and mortality rates are underfunded, which could impede future advances in inadequately funded cancers. The research shows that federal government funding of cancer research is not equitable across different cancer types. While many may assume it is only rare cancers that don't receive enough support, many common ones like colorectal cancer and lung cancer are underfunded.

The study also found that cancers with high mortality rates (including colorectal, lung, pancreatic, liver and gynecologic cancers) and those that affect Black patients at higher rates are most underfunded.

The researchers compared the distribution of funding across individual cancers with their respective incidence and mortality rates. They also examined the relationship between the amount of funding for an individual cancer with the number of ongoing clinical trials for that disease to assess if underfunding can have a measurable effect on clinical trial development.

The authors write, "We hope that guidance statements from the US Food and Drug Administration requesting diversity, equity, and inclusion plans for clinical trials will help rectify these disparities, at least in part by encouraging more funding of research in underfunded cancers."