Fresh Perspectives: Colorectal Cancer Alliance To Accelerate Research Progress through a New Investment Strategy

Washington (December 20, 2021) — The leading national nonprofit to end colorectal cancer, the Colorectal Cancer Alliance (Alliance), today announced a transformative research investment strategy to guide the field and its own $30 million in research funding over the next five years. 

A white paper, available here, documents the analysis and conclusions behind the Alliance’s reimagined strategy, including a comprehensive landscape and return on investment assessment, as well as input from dozens of experts and thought leaders. Three overarching themes for research investment emerged. Each is detailed further in the paper.

“Novel treatments, advancements in screening, and a focus on equity are improving colorectal cancer survivorship, but there is still a tremendous unmet need,” said Andrea Goodman, the Alliance’s vice president of patient support and research strategy. “Colorectal cancer is not getting the funding or attention it deserves, with virtually no change in government funding between 2006 and 2018. The Alliance will not accept this. Our $30 million research commitment and this collaboratively developed plan will jumpstart immediate learnings and ultimately save lives sooner.”

The categories of research priorities identified include:

· Identifying new targets and improved therapies

· Advancing diagnostics, prognostics and markers of response

· Precise and equitable implementation of screening and care

The Alliance has already invested nearly $5 million in colorectal cancer research, including nearly $3 million as early-stage grants to innovative researchers. Highlighting the return on its investments, two grantees supported with $400,000 of funding from the Alliance have gone on to receive more than $6.5 million in federal research funding.

Colorectal cancer, the second deadliest cancer in the United States among men and women combined, will be diagnosed 149,500 times this year, according to estimates from the American Cancer Society. As many as 52,980 patients will die.

The Alliance’s next funding opportunity for colorectal cancer researchers will open in spring 2022. Information about grant opportunities will be available here.

About the Colorectal Cancer Alliance

The Colorectal Cancer Alliance is a national nonprofit committed to ending colorectal cancer. Working with our nation of passionate allies, we diligently support the needs of patients and families, caregivers, and survivors; eagerly raise awareness of preventive screening; and continually strive to fund critical research. As allies in the struggle, we are fiercely determined to end colorectal cancer within our lifetime. For more information, visit ccalliance.org.