AACI Commentary
About Our Editorial Series
Exploring Topics That Matter to AACI Cancer Centers
AACI Commentary is a monthly editorial series focusing on major issues of common interest to North American cancer centers. Each AACI Commentary is written by a cancer center leader or subject matter expert and distributed by email to more than 5,000 subscribers of the AACI Update newsletter.
The publication is designed to cover a specific topic in 750-1,000 words. Recommendations for topics and authors are encouraged.
Please submit suggestions to:
Chris Zurawsky
Director of Communications
[email protected]
Emily Stimmel
Communications and External Relations Manager
[email protected]
March 2025
The Urgent Need for Continued Innovation in Cancer Research: Patients Can’t Wait
By Loriana Hernández-Aldama
Disruptions to cancer research—whether due to political decisions, financial barriers, or shifting priorities—threaten to stall the progress we’ve made. But cancer doesn’t wait for funding debates to resolve. Patients need solutions now. Every minute, every day, every breakthrough matters. Research funded by the National Institutes of Health fuels innovation and keeps the momentum going, ensuring that new therapies move quickly from lab to clinic. Without this vital funding, patients are left in limbo, waiting for a breakthrough that may come too late.
The Urgent Need for Continued Innovation in Cancer Research: Patients Can’t Wait
By Loriana Hernández-Aldama
March 2025
Highlights From the 2025 AACI CADEx Conference
By Dinesh Pal Mudaranthakam, PhD, MBA, MS
February 2025
NIH and NCI Advocacy in the New Congress
By Jennifer W. Pegher, MA, MBA
January 2025
The Role of Data and Data Science in Cancer Research
By W. Kimryn Rathmell, MD, PhD, MHHC, and Warren A. Kibbe, PhD
December 2024
Acquisition, Analysis, Action: Harnessing the Power of Catchment Area Data
By Debby Oh, MSc, PhD and Susan T. Vadaparampil, PhD, MPH
November 2024
Changing Needs for a Growing Population: Shared Decision Making for People Living With Cancer as a Chronic Disease
By Gwen Darien and Christine Wilson, MA, MS
October 2024
Tracking National and State Cancer Policy
By Jaren Love and Omasan Richardson
September 2024
Transcending Language and Other Barriers to Boost Clinical Trial Participation
By Eneida Nemecek, MD, MS, MBA
August 2024
Building Patient Partnerships: A Roadmap for Meaningful Collaboration
By Anne Marie Mercurio
July 2024
AACI Initiative at the Forefront of Cellular Therapeutics Revolution
By Peter Riedell, MD, and Joseph McGuirk, DO, FACP
June 2024
How a Robust Strategic Planning Process Can Advance the Mission of Your Cancer Center
By Erin Bank, PhD; Kate Shumate, MPA, CCRP; Eric Small, MD; and Alan Ashworth, PhD, FRS
May 2024
Global Oncology: Shifting From a Transactional Model to Mutually Beneficial Partnerships
By Patrick J. Loehrer, Sr., MD; Satish Gopal, MD, MPH; Stephen Kimani, MD, MSc; Martin Lajous, MD; and Elias Melly, MD
April 2024
The Urgency of Now: Improving Cancer Outcomes Through Professional and Reimbursable Oncology Navigation
By Arif Kamal, MD, MBA, MHS, and Karen Knudsen, MBA, PhD
March 2024
Advancing the Discourse Around Cancer Center Catchment Areas
By Katherine Tossas, PhD, MS, and Robert A. Winn, MD
February 2024
Joining Forces to Drive Progress Against Pediatric Cancer
By Charles W.M. Roberts, MD, PhD, Kimberly Stegmaier, MD, and Francisca Vazquez, PhD
January 2024
A Professional Development Initiative for Clinical Research Professionals
By Terease S. Waite, PhD, RN, JD, MBE, and Dan T. Vogl, MD, MSCE
December 2023
Collaborating to Reduce Disparities in Cervical Cancer
By Deanna Kepka, PhD, MPH, and B.J. Rimel, MD
November 2023
From Community Outreach to Global Oncology: Perspectives on the 2023 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting
By Primo N. Lara Jr., MD
October 2023
No Time to Waste: Now is the Time to Advocate for Federal Funding to Support Cancer Research
By Jennifer W. Pegher, MA
September 2023
Aging in Cancer: Preparing for the Silver Oncologic Tsunami
By Andrew Chapman, DO, FACP, FCPP
August 2023
Taking Cancer Clinical Research From Abstract to Reality: Reflections on the 15th Annual AACI CRI Meeting
By Thomas J. George, MD, FACP
July 2023
Beyond the Rainbow Flag: Topics and Outcomes From the First National LGBTQ+ Cancer Symposium
By B.J. Rimel, MD, and Zul Surani
June 2023
A Call for Engagement: AACI Cancer Centers and the National Cancer Plan
By Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD
May 2023
Collaborating to Improve Clinical Trial Activation Timelines
By Tara L. Lin, MD, and Theresa L. Werner, MD
April 2023
Fostering DEI, Providing Culturally Competent Care, and Eliminating the "Minority Tax" at AACI Cancer Centers
By Yolanda Sanchez, PhD
March 2023
Time to Step Outside the Box, Look Back, and PAUSE
By George J. Weiner, MD
February 2023
Best Practices for Maximizing the Value Added By External Advisory Boards
By Anita L. Harrison, MPA
January 2023
Low NCI Paylines and Grant Success Rates Compromise Research Potential
By Roy A. Jensen, MD; Steven K. Libutti, MD, FACS; Thomas J. Lynch, Jr., MD; and Leonidas
C. Platanias, MD, PhD
December 2022
Collaboration is Key to Advancing Precision Medicine in Prostate Cancer Treatment
By Heather Cheng, MD, PhD, and Channing Paller, MD
November 2022
The 2022 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting: Cancer Center Collaboration Meets Federal Cancer Policy
By Cornelia Ulrich, MS, PhD
October 2022
CTO Staff Retention Task Force Recommendations: Retaining and Recruiting Top Talent Amid the Great Resignation
By Leonidas C. Platanias, MD, PhD
September 2022
Democratizing Artificial Intelligence: Bringing Automated Machine Learning Technologies to Basic, Translational, and Clinical Cancer Researchers
By Dan Theodorescu, MD, PhD, and Jason H. Moore, PhD
August 2022
Enhancing the Diversity of the Cancer Leadership Pipeline
By Caryn Lerman, PhD
July 2022
2022 AACI/AACR Hill Day Highlights Importance of Strong Funding, Continued Advocacy
By Jaren Love
June 2022
Driving Change in Lung Cancer: Cancer Centers Must Ensure That Lung Screening Reaches Those Who Can Benefit Most
By Candace S. Johnson, PhD
May 2022
Marketing and the Physician Outreach Team
By Erin McElwain, MHA, and Heidi Findlay
April 2022
Repairing Damage to Clinical Trials Office Staffing
By Kristie Moffett
March 2022
Our Best Defense Against Cancer: Robust Funding is Essential to Continued Research Progress
By Roy A. Jensen, MD
February 2022
By Barbara E. Bierer, MD, and Timothy Rebbeck, PhD
January 2022
AACI and the Early Years of the National Cancer Act
By AACI Staff
December 2021
Reflecting on 50 Years of Progress and Looking Ahead to the Future: Highlights of the 2021 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting
By Robert A. Winn, MD
November 2021
Leadership Development and Diversity in Cancer Centers
By Caryn Lerman, PhD
October 2021
Confronting Delayed Cancer Screening and Cancer Disparities During the COVID-19 Pandemic
By Chyke A. Doubeni, MBBS, MPH
September 2021
Learning From the Pandemic: Reflections on the 13th Annual AACI CRI Meeting
By Theresa L. Werner
August 2021
A “Delicate Dance”: Establishing a Process for Assessing and Endorsing Cancer-Related Policy
By John DeMuro
July 2021
Engaging Advanced Practice Providers in Cancer Clinical Trials
By Christa Braun-Inglis, MS, APRN-Rx, FNP-BC, AOCNP
June 2021
Harnessing Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies to Enhance Cancer Treatment
By Rohit Bhargava, PhD
May 2021
Who Was First? The National Cancer Act of 1971 and the Birth of NCI-Designated Cancer
Centers
By Donald L. Trump, MD, FACP, FASCO and Eric T. Rosenthal
April 2021
The Little State That Could: How West Virginia Became a National Model for COVID-19 Vaccination
By Hannah Hazard-Jenkins, MD, FACS
March 2021
From Pre-Pandemic Politics to a "New Normal": Cancer Policy Priorities for the Biden Presidency
By AACI Staff
February 2021
Sustaining the Use of Telemedicine in Post-Pandemic Cancer Care
By Karen E. Knudsen, MBA, PhD; Cheryl L. Willman, MD; and Robert A. Winn, MD
January 2021