National Cancer Institute

When are cancer care costs highest for older adults? In an NCI-led study, researchers used data from NCI’s SEER Program linked with Medicare claims to analyze more than 1.4 million cancer diagnoses in adults age 66 and older. They found that cancer-related medical costs were highest in the final year before a cancer death—about $122,000 more than for similar people without cancer. Oral prescription drug costs during this period also more than doubled from 2013 to 2019.

Costs were higher for Black patients than for White patients, although the difference narrowed after researchers accounted for cancer type. The findings can help guide future research on prevention, screening, treatment, and end-of-life care.

Read more: https://go.nih.gov/OIcCW1h

Fatty liver disease affects nearly one-third of adults worldwide, yet scientists are still uncovering the basic biology behind how the liver handles excess fat. A new study from NCI researchers, published in Nature Metabolism, sheds light on an important cellular process that helps determine whether fat is safely stored or contributes to liver damage.

By identifying how two structures inside liver cells communicate—and the role of a protein called PLIN5 in that process—the research offers new insight into how fatty liver disease develops and where future interventions might begin. Learn more: https://go.nih.gov/Y3lfX9G

We have released our first publicly available tissue microarray (TMA) panel from the NCI Patient-Derived Models Repository (NCI-PDMR), providing researchers with a powerful new resource to study pancreatic cancer.

Each slide contains tissue samples from 60 patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models representing tumors from patients with diverse treatment histories. The panel also includes comprehensive genomic and pathology information, allowing investigators to screen for biomarkers and seamlessly connect their findings to matching PDX models, organoids, or cell lines available through the NCI-PDMR.

Making these well-characterized research tools broadly available helps support discoveries that advance our understanding of cancer biology and the development of future therapies.

Learn more:

NCI-PDMR Releases First Tissue Microarray Panel The NCI Patient-Derived Models Repository (PDMR) is releasing its first publicly available tissue microarray (TMA) panel

In a new study, NCI-supported researchers identified hundreds of metabolites in blood samples collected more than a decade before diagnosis that were associated with future risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of liver cancer.

These findings improve our understanding of the biological changes that occur years before cancer is detected and may help inform future approaches to risk assessment and early detection. Learn more: https://go.nih.gov/wxPx7Tp

Could Vi**ra help stop cancer from spreading?

Early research co-authored by NCI investigators suggests that sildenafil, more commonly known as Vi**ra, may disrupt how tumor cells process cholesterol, reducing their ability to migrate and form tumors elsewhere in the body.

The findings come from laboratory and animal studies, along with an analysis of patient health records that linked sildenafil use, especially with cholesterol-lowering statins, to improved survival. More research is needed to determine whether this approach can safely and effectively prevent metastasis in people.

Read more: https://go.nih.gov/BvTkocc

Not all cervical cancers are biologically the same, and understanding those differences can help researchers develop more personalized treatments.

NCI researchers identified three genetic subtypes of cervical cancer and demonstrated a promising targeted treatment approach for one subtype using an FDA-approved precision medicine drug. They also found that combining this approach with immunotherapy further strengthened the anti-tumor response in laboratory models.

This research reflects NCI's commitment to advancing precision medicine by matching treatments to the biology of each person's cancer and accelerating discoveries that can improve patient care.

Learn more:

Genetic classification of cervical cancer leads to experimental targeted treatment | Frederick National Laboratory Image

Understanding the complexity of tumors on a cellular level is essential to improving care.

An NIH-funded research team has developed scSurvival, an AI-powered tool that analyzes tumors at the single-cell level to identify patients at higher risk and the specific cells associated with that risk. By preserving the unique biology of individual tumor cells, researchers can gain deeper insight into how cancers behave and respond to treatment.

This work reflects one of NCI's priorities: harnessing advances in AI and human-centered research to accelerate precision medicine and bring better, more personalized treatment options to patients.

Learn more:

NIH-funded AI model predicts cancer survival In a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded study, researchers developed a cancer assessment tool that can identify high-risk patients and the tumor cells linked to that risk. The model, called scSurvival, uses a machine learning framework designed to analyze large-scale data at single-cell reso...

Understanding inherited cancer risk can help patients and families make more informed decisions about their health.

New NIH-funded research found that people diagnosed with melanoma at a young age or those who develop multiple melanomas are more likely to carry inherited genetic mutations that may increase their risk for melanoma—and potentially other cancers.

These findings support one of NCI's priorities: advancing precision medicine by using research to identify risk earlier, personalize care, and improve prevention and screening strategies.

Learn more:

Genetic testing may benefit more patients with melanoma Researchers found people diagnosed with melanoma at a young age or with multiple melanomas were more likely to carry a genetic mutation linked to other types of cancer.

“Behind every treatment breakthrough, there is a long history of support for research from the NCI.” — Dr. James Gulley, NCI Clinical Director

Since the late 1970s, NCI has supported the foundational research that helped make immune checkpoint inhibitors possible. This includes Dr. Steven Rosenberg’s pioneering work showing that the immune system could shrink tumors, as well as NCI-supported research by Nobel laureates Drs. James Allison and Tasuku Honjo, identifying the checkpoint proteins that cancer can exploit to evade the immune system.

That science helped pave the way for treatments such as pembrolizumab, which is now approved for more than 40 cancer indications.

Learn more about role of publicly funded science in the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors:

The Story of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Immunotherapy Federally funded research spanning decades helped scientists develop immune checkpoint inhibitors, transforming treatment for melanoma, lung cancer, and other cancers.

National Institutes of Health (NIH) researchers, including scientists from NCI, identified a previously unknown population of immune cells that help protect against inflammatory bowel disease. The findings reveal a promising new therapeutic pathway that could lead to more targeted treatments with fewer side effects. Read more: https://go.nih.gov/pC1nwgO