Landscape of Global Oncology Research and Training at National Cancer Institute–Designated Cancer Centers: Results of the 2018 to 2019 Global Oncology Survey

Abstract

PURPOSE The National Cancer Institute (NCI)–Designated Cancer Centers (NDCCs) are active in global oncology research and training, leading collaborations to support global cancer control. To better understand global oncology activities led by NDCCs, the NCI Center for Global Health collaborated with ASCO to conduct the 2018/2019 NCI/ASCO Global Oncology Survey of NDCCs. METHODS Seventy NDCCs received a two-part survey that focused on global oncology programs at NDCCs and non–National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded global oncology projects with an international collaborator led by the NDCCs. Sixty-seven NDCCs responded to the survey. Data were coded and analyzed by NCI-Center for Global Health staff. RESULTS Thirty-three NDCCs (47%) reported having a global oncology program, and 61 (87%) reported a collective total of 613 non–NIH-funded global oncology projects. Of the NDCCs with global oncology programs, 17 reported that trainees completed rotations outside the United States and the same number enrolled trainees from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Primary focus areas of non–NIH-funded projects were research (469 [76.5%]) and capacity building or training (197 [32.1%]). Projects included collaborators from 110 countries; 68 of these were LMIC. CONCLUSION This survey shows that there is a substantial amount of global oncology research and training conducted by NDCCs and that much of this is happening in LMIC. Trends in these data reflect those in recent literature: The field of global oncology is growing, advancing scientific knowledge, contributing to building research and training capacity in LMIC, and becoming a recognized career path. Results of the 2018 Global Oncology Survey can be used to foster opportunities for NDCCs to work collaboratively on activities and to share their findings with relevant stakeholders in their LMIC collaborator countries.

Building Capacity for Global Cancer Research: Existing Opportunities and Future Directions

“…Among these centers, 27 centers provide certain level of global oncology training, 17 centers have trainees who have completed global oncology rotations outside of the US, 17 centers have enrolled trainees from LMICs, and 15 centers have engaged with non-enrolled trainees in LMICs through activities such as capacity building. Supported by funds from a variety of sources (NIH, institutional, non-profit organizations, industry, and international), NCI-Designated Cancer Centers have become hubs for sharing information, building research collaboration, and training next generation of investigators for global oncology across the US [ 101 ].…”

Creative Approaches to Global Cancer Research and Control

“…As stated in a recent National Institutes of Health study, there has been a substantial increase in global oncology research and training conducted by NCI-designated cancer centers, and much of this work is happening in LMICs. 51 This progress has created a structured funding pathway for global oncology specialists and will pave the way for the development of new and more-effective strategies to improve equitable access to cancer control and treatment in all resource settings. In contrast, there is limited funding to support LMICs to scale up successful cancer control and treatment interventions similar to the President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief or the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.…”

Nanotherapeutics targeting autophagy regulation for improved cancer therapy

“…For cancer treatment, the conventional clinical approaches include chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy 4 , 5 , 6 . However, due to their inherent side effects and limitations, these therapies still fail to meet people's expectations 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 . In recent years, due to advances in molecular biotechnology, immunotherapy has emerged as the fourth method of tumor treatment following the three mentioned above 9 .…”