More than 150 Office of Cancer Survivorship grants totaling nearly $112 million funded research on cancer survivorship in 2020, including “resources for implementation of the STAR Act and additional resources provided through legislation such as the 21st Century Cures Act, which authorized funding for the Cancer Moonshot,” according to the office’s 25th anniversary report.

The Office of Cancer Survivorship funded research proposals that investigated the unique medical, social, and psychological needs of both children and adults with a history of cancer and the racial and ethnic disparities in cancer and survivorship care, including those that affect groups that have systemically faced greater obstacles to healthcare access based on characteristics historically linked to discrimination or exclusion.

“Initially, cancer survivorship research was heavily focused on psychosocial oncology, and that’s an important area we continue to support. But in recent years there’s been more research by epidemiologists, statisticians, those who work in our surveillance research community, and also the health services and outcomes research community, in addressing research questions relevant to survivors,” Robert T. Croyle, PhD, former director of NCI’s Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, said in a video celebrating the quarter-century milestone. “This is really key because as research evolves, we also uncover new issues related to new treatments and new concerns that survivors have about their long-term survivorship, and this is an opportunity to really make sure we’re meeting those needs in the best way possible.”

In its report, the Office of Cancer Survivorship identified future priorities:

  • Support survivorship researchers.
  • Build infrastructure.
  • Leverage expertise.
  • Generate collaborations.
  • Promote understudied research areas.

“The celebration of this 25th anniversary of the Office of Cancer Survivorship is not just about the office itself, but it’s an opportunity for NCI to renew our commitment to the needs of our cancer survivor community—medical needs psychosocial needs, and all the questions that they have about their care and how best to deliver it and coordinate it,” Croyle said.