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News
Leaders from NCI, CDC, and top cancer centers gathered in Washington, D.C. for a two-day NCCN summit on expanding cancer prevention and screening access. Experts stressed that nearly half of all cancer deaths could be eliminated with existing strategies — if access barriers are removed. Key themes included health equity, hereditary risk, cost-sharing, and the promise of emerging tools like multicancer detection tests and AI.
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) convened a two-day Oncology Policy Summit in Washington, D.C. on October 5–6, 2026, bringing together voices from the NCI, CDC, patient advocacy groups, health systems, and payers to tackle one of oncology's most pressing challenges: closing the gap between what we know about cancer prevention and what patients can actually access.
Experts underscored that established screening and prevention strategies could eliminate nearly half of all cancer deaths — but fragmented care delivery, financial barriers, and medical mistrust continue to hold back progress. Speakers called for policy reforms to eliminate cost-sharing for eligible patients, expand genetic testing access, and ensure continuity of care from screening through survivorship. Equity was a through-line: LGBTQIA+ communities, Latinas, and other underserved groups face compounding barriers that existing systems often fail to address.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: Cancer screening saves lives, but only when people can actually access it. This summit spotlights the policy levers — from coverage mandates to community engagement — that could translate scientific advances into equitable, real-world impact.
