The AACR Cancer Progress Report 2024, released on September 18, showcases the extraordinary progress being made against cancer. The report highlights continuing reductions in mortality, which has fallen by 33% between 1991 and 2021, translating into more than 4 million deaths averted from cancer, and the growing number of cancer survivors, which is expected to reach 26 million by 2040. It also details the challenges remaining, including the increase in some cancer types (eg, pancreatic and uterine cancers and human papillomavirus–related cancers); the alarming incidence of early-onset cancers, such as young-onset colorectal cancer; and the disproportionately higher burden of cancer on racial and ethnic minority populations.  

Patricia M. LoRusso, DO, PhD (hc), FAACR
Photo credit: Robert A. Liask

During a press conference announcing publication of the 14th edition of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual cancer progress report, AACR President Patricia M. LoRusso, DO, PhD (hc), FAACR, commented on the gains made over the past year in cancer care and the challenges ahead.

“This report continues the tradition of raising awareness among policymakers and the American public on the importance of medical research for saving lives from some cancers,” said Dr. LoRusso. “I’m delighted to share with you key highlights of the report that underscore the remarkable progress that has been made against cancer. I will also touch upon some of the ongoing challenges in cancer science and medicine,” she said.

“These gains against cancer have come about because of the rapid progress in our ability to decode the cancer genome, which has opened new and innovative avenues for drug development,” Dr. LoRusso continued. “As a result, treating cancers has evolved into an era of precision or personalized medicines, where each patient is treated based on the characteristics of their own tumor. Clinical and translational studies … provide the backbone of advances against cancer by enabling the testing and refining of investigational therapies for the benefit of all patients.”

Highlights from the report are described below.

Advances in Cancer Research and Treatment

Between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved 15 new anticancer therapies benefiting patients with various types of cancers, including:

• Lifileucel, the first tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte–based cellular immunotherapeutic for patients with advanced melanoma
• Tarlatamab-dlle, a new bispecific T-cell engager for the treatment of small cell lung cancer
• Several new molecularly targeted therapeutics and immunotherapeutics for several blood cancers
• Fifteen previously FDA-approved anticancer therapeutics for new types of cancer
• One new imaging agent
• Two minimally invasive tests: the Invitae Common Hereditary Cancers Panel, which analyzes a person’s blood sample for changes in 47 genes that are linked to hereditary types of cancer; and Shield, a liquid biopsy test that screens for the early detection of colorectal cancer in people at least 45 years of age at average risk for the disease
• Several artificial intelligence–based tools to improve the early detection and diagnosis of cancers.

Progress in Childhood and AYA Cancers

According to the AACR cancer progress report, the overall cancer-related mortality rate for children and adolescents and young adults (AYAs) has declined by 24% over the past 2 decades. In addition, the 5-year relative survival rate for children diagnosed with cancer has increased from 58% in the mid-1970s to 85% between 2013 and 2019; and the 5-year relative survival rate for AYAs diagnosed with cancer rose to 86% between 2010 and 2018.

In 2024, more than 9,600 children up to age 14 and over 84,000 AYAs aged 15 to 39 are expected to be diagnosed with cancer. From July 2023 to June 2024, the FDA approved several drugs for children as well as AYAs with cancer, including:

• Two new molecularly targeted therapeutics: tovorafenib, for the treatment of children with relapsed or refractory pediatric low-grade glioma harboring the BRAF fusion or rearrangement or BRAF V600 mutation; and repotrectinib, for the treatment of children with solid tumors that have the NTRK gene fusion alteration
• Eflornithine to reduce the risk of relapse in adult and pediatric patients with high-risk neuroblastoma.

Despite These Achievements, Challenges Remain

Although tremendous progress has been achieved over the past year, the AACR Cancer Progress Report 2024 acknowledges the challenges that remain, including an estimated more than 2 million new cases of cancer that will be diagnosed in the United States in 2024 and the more than 611,000 deaths that will occur from the disease.

In addition, incidence rates for some cancers are rising in adults younger than age 50, especially breast, colorectal, gastric, and some types of blood cancer. Also increasing are vaccine-preventable cancers, such as human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oral cancers, and in young adults, cervical cancers. According to the report, overall cervical cancer incidence among women aged 30 to 34 increased by 2.5% a year between 2012 and 2019.

The report also cites the toll financial toxicity is exacting on patients, both in the United States and globally, and warns that the estimated cumulative economic burden of care over the next 25 years will reach $25.2 trillion. According to the report, in the United States:

• More than 40% of patients spend their life savings within the first 2 years of cancer treatment.
• Among adult survivors of childhood cancers, 20.7% had problems paying their medical bills; 29.9% reported being sent to debt collections for unpaid bills; 14.1% had forgone medical care; and 26.8% did not have enough money to buy nutritious meals.
• Financial toxicity among AYA survivors is especially concerning, with the lifetime costs associated with a cancer diagnosis reaching an average of nearly $260,000 per survivor.

Disparities in Cancer Care Persist

Although the gap in overall cancer death rates between Black and White populations has narrowed by more than 50% over the past 2 decades, according to the report, Black individuals still experienced a 9% higher overall cancer death rate compared with White individuals—and the highest death rate from cancer among all racial or ethnic groups in the United States in 2022.

In addition to racial and ethnic minority groups, many other segments of the population also shoulder a disproportionate burden of cancer. Examples include residents in rural parts of the country that lack access to cutting-edge cancer treatments; sexual and gender minorities who experience bias and discrimination in health-care settings; and low-income households in counties with persistent poverty and limited access to healthy food and/or the needed health care. Older adults, veterans, undocumented immigrants and refugees, individuals with disabilities, incarcerated individuals, adolescents, and young adults are also medically underserved and face unique challenges in the burden of cancer.

AACR’s Call to Action

During her remarks, Dr. LoRusso emphasized the critical role federal funding has played in progress against cancer and the need for continued federal support to ensure future treatment advancements.

“The impact of the United States taxpayer investment in cancer research has been remarkable…. Continued federal investments in basic research has been pivotal in advancing our understanding of cancer development. Unfortunately, the funding cuts the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has experienced since fiscal year (FY) 2024 risks slowing these advances against cancer that have been achieved in recent decades,” said Dr. LoRusso.

To help remedy the challenges in cancer care, the AACR is calling on Congress to recognize the importance of supporting robust, sustained, and predictable funding for federal medical research and health programs, including:

• Appropriating at least $51.3 billion in FY2025 for the base budget of the NIH and at least $7.934 billion for the National Cancer Institute
• Providing $3.6 billion in dedicated funding for Cancer Moonshot activities through FY2026 in addition to other funding, consistent with the President’s FY2025 budget
• Appropriating at least $472.4 million in FY2025 for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Cancer Prevention to support comprehensive cancer control, central cancer registries, and screening and awareness programs for specific cancers
• Allocating $55 million in funding for the Oncology Center of Excellence at the FDA in FY2025 to provide regulators with the staff and tools needed to conduct expedited review of cancer-related medical products.