Cancer Funding Disparities: Implications for Equity, Research, and Clinical Trials

By: Amanda E. Ruffino, BA
Posted: Friday, February 23, 2024

Suneel D. Kamath, MD of Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute, and colleagues evaluated National Cancer Institute (NCI) and nonprofit organization (NPO) funding from 2015 to 2018 across various cancers, revealing significant disparities in financial support. Their findings, reported in JCO Oncology Practice, indicated that breast cancer and leukemia received the highest combined funding of $3.75 billion and $1.99 billion, respectively, whereas endometrial, cervical, and hepatobiliary cancers were among the least funded, with $94 million, $292 million, and $348 million, respectively. The investigators found that funding seemed to correlate well with the incidence of diseases but poorly with mortality rates. The underfunding trend was particularly pronounced in cancers that disproportionately affect Black patients.

“Our findings indicate that many cancers with the highest mortality rates are inadequately funded despite having the greatest unmet need. These data should influence policymakers and stakeholders to rectify these disparities by aligning funding with the burden of individual cancers on society,” the investigators concluded.

Further analysis demonstrated a strong correlation between the amount of funding allocated to a given cancer and the number of clinical trials conducted for that disease. Specifically, diseases receiving more funding exhibited a higher number of clinical trials, indicating a positive relationship between financial support and research opportunities. This correlation was particularly robust, with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.91 and a P value of less than .0001.

The investigators underscored the existence of funding disparities among various cancers, with underfunded cancers being associated with both high incidence and mortality rates. Moreover, the study highlights the correlation between underfunding and a reduced number of clinical trials, suggesting potential obstacles to advancements in underfunded cancer research.

Disclosure: Dr. Kamath has served as a consultant or advisor to Exelixis, Tempus, Guardant Health, Seagen, and Foundation Medicine and has served on the speakers bureau of Seagen and Merck. All other study authors reported no conflicts of interest.

JCO Oncology Practice

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