Population, Clinical, and Scientific Impact of National Cancer Institute's National Clinical Trials Network Treatment Studies

Abstract

The National Cancer Institute National Cancer Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) has conducted publicly funded cancer research for more than 50 years. This study systematically examines the impact of 162 randomized phase III clinical trials conducted by adult NCTN groups since 1980, which comprised 108,334 patients. The research included a variety of cancers, with the most common being breast, gynecologic, and lung. The trials, which were widely cited and routinely included in clinical guidelines, were estimated to have generated 14.2 million additional life-years for patients with cancer in the United States through 2020, with projected gains of 24.1 million life-years by 2030. The federal investment cost per life-year gained through 2020 was $326. The findings demonstrate the critical role of government-sponsored cancer research in extending the lives of patients with cancer. – AI-generated abstract