NCI-Funded Cancer Epidemiology Survivor Cohorts: Overview, Progress, and Opportunities

Area of Science:

• Cancer Epidemiology
• Survivorship Research
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Cancer epidemiology survivor cohorts (CESC) are crucial for understanding long-term cancer outcomes.
• The National Cancer Institute (NCI) supports numerous large-scale cohort studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of NCI-funded large cancer epidemiology survivor cohorts (CESC).
• To identify and characterize active CESCs funded by the NCI.

Main Methods:

• Defined large CESCs as observational studies with at least 1,000 cancer survivors and survivorship outcome data.
• Identified NCI-funded CESCs through grant funding notices and a comprehensive NCI grant portfolio search.

Main Results:

• Identified 30 active grants supporting large CESCs.
• 63.3% of cohorts focus on single cancer types, while 36.7% include mixed cancer types.
• Key populations include adult/pediatric survivors of childhood cancers, young adult survivors, and stem cell transplant survivors.

Conclusions:

• NCI-funded CESCs represent a significant investment in cancer survivorship research.
• These cohorts increasingly include diverse cancer types, treatments, and populations.
• CESCs offer valuable insights into risk factors influencing cancer outcomes, informing guidelines and interventions.