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In early February, on the anniversary of the revived Cancer Moonshot, the Biden administration announced new initiatives to improve cancer care and prevention. At Biden’s 2023 State of the Union address, he reemphasized the Moonshot’s goal of cutting cancer death rates by at least 50% in the next 25 years.

The Massey community got a sneak peek into the administration’s new priorities last month, when Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., acting science advisor to the president, joined Massey’s Facts & Faith Fridays. Collins called the Moonshot death-reduction goal “a bold effort, but achievable,” and cited specific initiatives to move this goal forward, including multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests, a strategy to reduce nicotine in cigarettes to encourage tobacco cessation and a focus on building back cancer screenings that took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through the work of our Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, researchers, physicians and staff, Massey Cancer Center is already making progress toward many of the objectives highlighted in the Moonshot 2.0 and driving improved, equitable outcomes for all. Here are some of the ways our priorities and programs align with the Biden administration’s aims:

Improving access to lifesaving cancer screenings and early detection, especially in at-risk communities. Massey screening programs include access to breast and cervical screening services for low-income and uninsured women through a partnership with Virginia Department of Health’s “Every Woman’s Life,” and a Stand Up to Cancer grant which seeks to reduce lung cancer disparities affecting Black Americans by partnering with federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) to support lung cancer screening and navigation. Our Cancer Prevention and Control research program works to better understand and advance cancer risk identification, mitigation and prevention to improve cancer outcomes.

Boosting innovation in the fight against cancer. Massey is a unique cancer center that operates on a “community to bench” model, in which the community informs and partners with the cancer center to help refine our scientific questions to have a greater impact on their health. We can then bring clinical trials – a vital way to bring medical innovations to the public – back to the community to help serve their specific needs. As an awardee of a Minority/Underserved NCI Community Oncology Research Program (MU-NCORP), Massey enrolls more people from minority groups to ensure clinical trials reflect the diversity of our population, and underserved populations have equal access to the innovative treatments discovered through research.

Providing patient navigation support to every American facing cancer. Massey offers dedicated nurse navigators for each disease type, who are assigned to a patient once they enter the system to help guide them through the continuum of care, following an abnormal screening test and treatment care options through to supportive services and patient resources.

Tackling the biggest single driver of cancer deaths in this country – smoking. Lung cancer is a particular concern in Virginia, the heart of the tobacco industry. To provide education, counseling and support to those struggling with nicotine addiction, Massey offers programs including a free community-based tobacco cessation program, “We CAN Quit,” and “A Breath of Fresh Air” for patients in active treatment.

Studying and evaluating multi-cancer detection tests. Massey is currently enrolling patients in a clinical trial to test a method of multi-cancer early detection screening through a blood sample. Massey member Alex Krist, M.D., M.P.H., professor of family medicine and population health at VCU and former chair of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, is serving on the committee designing another trial, the Vanguard Trial, a Moonshot Initiative to evaluate these minimally invasive blood tests.

Written by: Annie Harris