The National Cancer Institute coordinates government funding for research.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, affecting as much as 7.9 percent of the population. As cancer remains an incurable disease, government funding set aside specifically for cancer research remains an ongoing priority on a national level.
Cancer Diseases
Abnormal cell development and growth characterize cancer diseases, which can develop in any area of the body. According to the National Cancer Institute, over 100 different types of cancer can affect the body. Also at work is the relative ease in which a cancerous cell formation can spread through the blood and lymphatic systems. Since 1998, ongoing developments within government-funded research projects have brought about an overall decline in incidence and number of deaths associated with cancer diseases.
National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute (NIC) makes up one of the 27 divisions within the National Institutes of Health. The NIC also works in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as the nation’s primary, federal government agency. According to the National Cancer Institute, NIC funding comes from Congress, much of which goes to their main headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, and various medical centers throughout the country. Research projects investigate methods for detecting, preventing and treating cancer as well as understanding the underlying causes for the disease.
Funding
Funding for NCI research projects follows the same approval processes as the other 26 institutes, requiring approval from both the House and Senate, as well as the president. Typically, funding proposals are submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and then forwarded to the House and Senate before reaching the president’s desk.
As of 1971, the National Cancer Act granted NCI the authority to submit funding proposals directly to the president for consideration. As a result, budget proposals for cancer research fall under the label "Bypass Budget," as presidential review precedes any rulings carried out by the House or Senate.
Funding Allottments
According to the National Cancer Institute, government funding set aside for cancer research amounted to $4.81 billion in 2009. Funding toward specific types of research is made based on the types of cancer most prevalent within the population. As of 2008, the most common forms of cancer included lung, prostate, breast, colorectal and bladder conditions. As lung cancer represented the most prevalent form, research into developing lung disorders received the most in terms of funding allotments.
NIH Clinical Center
The Clinical Center at the National Institutes for Health acts as a main headquarters for cancer research efforts as well as research for other medical conditions of national concern. The Clinical Center specializes in transferring knowledge acquired through scientific observations into actual hands-on treatment therapies. The center works with nearby medical facilities wherein actual patient cases receive newly developed therapy treatments. Research projects make use of laboratory and clinical settings in an attempt to treat, prevent and eventually cure cancer diseases.
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