Cancer research funding data to drive collaboration and inform action

Globally, cancer research is supported by substantial funding from various government, industry, and philanthropic sources. Investments by 120 government and non-profit funders of cancer research increased from US$5·56 billion in 2006 to $8·51 billion in 2018, and this value accounts for just 60% of funding outside of pharmaceutical industries and the private sector. 1 Abudu R Bouche G Bourougaa K et al. Trends in international cancer research investment 2006–2018. JCO Glob Oncol. 2021; 7: 602-610 Crossref PubMed Scopus (4) Google Scholar Meanwhile, the International Agency for Research on Cancer identified 4693 organisations from 107 countries that were engaged in funding cancer research between 2008 and 2018. 2 Schmutz A Salignat C Plotkina D et al. Mapping the global cancer research funding landscape. JNCI Cancer Spectr. 2019; 3pkz069 Crossref PubMed Scopus (13) Google Scholar Such attention is warranted, because cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide, with more than 70% of the 10 million cancer-related deaths in 2021 occurring in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). 3 WHO International Agency for Research on CancerEstimated number of deaths in 2020, all cancers, both sexes, all ages. https://gco.iarc.fr/today/online-analysis-pie?v=2020&mode=population&mode_population=income&population=900&populations=900&key=total&sex=0&cancer=39&type=1&statistic=5&prevalence=0&population_group=0&ages_group%5B%5D=0&ages_group%5B%5D=17&nb_items=7&group_cancer=1&include_nmsc=1&include_nmsc_other=1&half_pie=0&donut=0Date accessed: March 24, 2023 Google Scholar The extent and diversity of the global burden of cancer, coupled with the breadth of research needed to address that burden, make the tracking, monitoring, and analysis of existing cancer research funding both crucial and challenging. Overcoming barriers to the collation of comprehensive global cancer research funding data is necessary to encourage international collaboration, avoid duplication, identify funding gaps, define priorities, and drive policies and programmes.