NCI Annual Plan & Budget Proposal for Fiscal Year 2022
Director’s Message
With the nation’s support, nothing will stop NCI from advancing our understanding of cancer and reducing its burden—not just for some, but for all people. While contributing our scientific expertise to the current public health crisis, we remain focused on our top priority: cancer research.
Driving Discovery
NCI’s overarching strategy focuses on supporting a broad portfolio of research, including basic biological mechanisms of cancer, translating the knowledge gained into new tools and treatments, and disseminating those innovations into clinical practice. The following areas represent just a few of the many scientific opportunities that, with further investment, would catalyze additional progress in cancer research.
Cancer Drug Resistance
Drug resistance remains one of the biggest challenges in cancer therapy. Catalyzing research aimed at solving the puzzle of why cancers become resistant to treatment will enable development of new strategies to overcome or prevent drug resistance in patients.
Molecular Diagnostics for Cancer Treatment
Precision medicine in cancer using genomic information about a patient’s tumor has revolutionized cancer diagnosis and treatment. Progress will continue as genomic and proteomic information are integrated, providing a clearer picture of a patient’s cancer.
Obesity & Cancer
Nearly 40% of adults and 20% of children are obese. Obesity is associated with a higher risk of 13 types of cancer, and can adversely affect cancer treatment and survival. Research to untangle the relationship between obesity and cancer will inform the development of effective strategies that prevent obesity and promote weight loss to reduce cancer risk and improve patient outcomes.
Cancer Survivorship
The number of cancer survivors in the United States is estimated to grow to more than 22.2 million by 2030. To improve their quality of life, more research is essential for developing interventions that mitigate the many short- and long-term adverse effects of cancer and its treatment.