World Cancer Day was established in the year 2000 by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) to raise global awareness and encourage action in the fight against cancer. Each year, this day is observed internationally on February 4 to promote the world community to work together and strive for a future free of cancer through hundreds of activities and events taking place across several participating countries. To achieve greater impact, the UICC leads a new cancer research campaign theme every three years, with World Cancer Day 2025-2027 being centered around the concept of “United by Unique,” which will explore different dimensions of people-centered cancer care with patient-focused trials and other new ways of making a difference.  

The day also provides an opportunity to recognize the tireless efforts of healthcare professionals, researchers, and volunteers, as well as the clinical development advancements driven by sponsors and contract research organizations (CROs) worldwide. This World Cancer Day 2025, join TFS HealthScience and the UICC to make a difference for millions of patients, survivors, and families worldwide. As we approach February 4, 2025, this article will highlight significant cancer research milestones achieved in recent years and explore promising clinical developments on the horizon. Read on to learn more! 

Major Cancer Research Milestones in the Past Five Years 

The landscape of cancer research has been transformed dramatically in recent years, with breakthrough discoveries in the four following key areas especially reshaping our approach to innovative cancer treatment.  

Advancements in Immunotherapy 

CAR T-Cell Therapy 

Immunotherapy has emerged as one of the most promising fields, with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy leading the way in revolutionizing blood cancer treatment. Like other forms of immunotherapy, CAR T-cell therapy works to harness the body’s own immune system to boost its ability to fight cancers. In 2017, Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel), previously known as CTL019, became the first ever CAR T-cell therapy approved by the United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). More recently, its applications have recently expanded to include solid tumors; In August 2024, Tecelra (afamitresgene autoleucel), became the first CAR T-based immunotherapy to receive US FDA approval in a solid tumor cancer, specifically unresectable or metastatic synovial sarcoma.  

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors 

On the other hand, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), currently in the form of monoclonal antibodies, have become a standard first-line therapy against solid tumor cancers in clinical trials. These ICIs target proteins are involved with cellular checkpoints, which are key controls used by cells to regulate growth cycles; these checkpoints are improperly controlled in cancer, leading to rapid tumor growth. The proteins, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), have emerged as especially promising targets for ICIs, with its researchers receiving the Nobel Prize in 2018. By 2023, there were 11 ICIs with regulatory approval in the US. Of these, Keytruda (pembrolizumab) is perhaps the most widely used, having received over 40 approvals from the FDA approvals by June 2024, spanning cancers such as multiple melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), liver, colorectal and triple negative breast cancer.  

Precision Medicine and Targeted Therapies in Cancer Clinical Development 

Personalized Cancer Vaccines 

Precision medicine in cancer, also known as precision oncology, has become a focus of several clinical trials and treatment approaches in recent years. One of the most exciting advancements during this period is the success of personalized cancer vaccines. Whereas traditional vaccines leverage the body’s immune system to fight off infections, these are designed to be tailored specifically to each patient’s unique cancer profile. Cancer vaccines work by targeting proteins called neoantigens, which are exclusively found on cancer cells. Combined with genome sequencing and epitope mapping techniques, researchers can better pinpoint specific parts of the tumor cell, enabling a highly personalized therapeutic approach that spares healthy cells. Currently, the US FDA has approved one cancer vaccine, Provenge (sipuleucel-T), for pancreatic cancer, but several clinical trials are also underway for melanoma, NSCLC, pancreatic, and ovarian cancer. 

Targeted Drug Approvals 

Another approach that has revolutionized the field of precision oncology is the use of genomics to introduce drugs targeting specific genetic mutations for improved treatment efficacy and patient outcomes. Technological advances in genomic sequencing have made it possible to screen mutations associated with certain cancers to enable earlier diagnosis, prompt treatment, and a greater chance of survival. Notably, the National Health Service (NHS) in England became the first service to offer whole genome sequencing as part of routine care, prioritizing rare genetic disorders and cancer in particular. This approach especially benefits individuals with a higher risk of developing genetically linked cancers, as well as their families, for diagnosis at an earlier disease stage.  

Early Detection and Diagnostic Innovations in Cancer Research 

Liquid Biopsies 

Cancer detection methods have also come a long way in the past five years with emerging improvements in technology and understanding of cancer pathophysiology. Liquid biopsies are among the techniques that are gradually becoming standard of care for some cancers. This method involves sampling and analysis of non-solid biological tissue, usually blood, and is a non-invasive diagnostic and monitoring tool in oncology. Specifically, in cancer settings, liquid biopsies can be used for multi-cancer screening tests, to inform healthcare professionals on which precision medicine treatment to select, and for disease monitoring with minimal residual disease (MRD) detection. In 2016, the first liquid biopsy to be approved by the US FDA was for  circulating tumor DNA for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated lung cancer, marking a major milestone in cancer screening.  

Advanced Imaging Techniques 

Imaging techniques have had applications in oncology care and cancer research for several decades, but they were often limited by low precision and could not be leveraged to predict treatment outcomes for personalized medicine. However, several breakthroughs have since advanced oncologic imaging in cancer diagnosis, treatment planning, and disease monitoring. For example, the emergence of dual-modality imaging, such as positron emission tomography (PET) with computerized tomography (CT), are able to collect anatomical, metabolic and functional information for more accurate disease assessment. Additionally, simulated Raman scattering (SRS) was also developed as a faster high-resolution histologic imaging method and continues to be used in brain tumor imaging. Other advances in imaging techniques in the past few years include dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), DNA-based point accumulation in nanoscale topography (DNA-PAINT), and radiomics.  

Artificial Intelligence in Oncology  

The most exciting development that has emerged in the cancer therapeutic field is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for everything from more efficient clinical trials and drug candidate screening to cancer detection and monitoring. The use of AI in oncology is still in its early stages but it is already being used to improve cancer care. In one published article here, predictive modeling with machine learning (ML) was used to analyze the gene expression of more than 9,000 tumour samples across 33 cancer types. The algorithm identified nearly 400 potential targets for further research that were linked to patient survival, demonstrating how AI can be leveraged to speed up the drug discovery process in cancer research. Another research study, published here, also applied an AI-powered graph convolutional neural network (GCN) to enhance survival prediction models for gastric and Colon adenocarcinoma patients.  

For more instances of how AI is strengthening cancer prevention, treatment, and management approaches, click here. 

Advancements in Clinical Trials for Cancer Vaccines 

More than 120 clinical trials have been recorded to date demonstrating the potential of mRNA cancer vaccines against malignancies such as lung, breast, prostate, melanoma, pancreatic, and brain tumors. This type of vaccine builds on previous COVID-19 vaccine technology to target cancer-specific antigens by encoding tumor-specific antigens and immune-stimulating molecules to target cancer cells. Recent advances in techniques like lipid nanoparticle (LNP) encapsulation have been crucial for improving mRNA stability against enzymatic degradation, allowing more efficient cellular uptake. Another key area of focus for cancer vaccine clinical trials is preventative vaccines, which aim to act as prophylactic treatments to prevent cancer development in high-risk populations. For example, these vaccines can be given to healthy individuals to prevent viruses (e.g., hepatitis B or human papillomavirus [HPV]) that have been linked to an increased risk of certain cancers.  

Enhanced Early Detection Methods in Cancer Research 

In the next five years, researchers are expected to continue developing cancer screening tests that are capable of identifying multiple cancers from a single blood sample, known as multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests. These tests are supported by techniques like liquid biopsies and involve testing a patient’s blood sample for certain pieces of DNA or proteins from cancer cells. However, some MCED tests only point to the likelihood of having a certain cancer, requiring additional testing and/or imaging for a confirmed diagnosis. We could see these tests slowly gain FDA approval in the next few years as they become more robust and accurate.  

AI is also showing promising applications in diagnostic radiology to improve accuracy and efficiency in cancer imaging. For example, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are a type of deep learning (DL) AI model that automatically detect patterns within images, making them potentially useful for detecting irregularities in tissues or specific tumor markers to improve diagnostic accuracy. However, more research is required to iron out the challenges of leveraging AI for complex tasks such as treatment selection and clinical prediction. 

Innovations in Treatment Delivery for Patient-Focused Trials 

A key limiting factor of many cancer therapies, including those still in experimental testing, is achieving optimal treatment delivery to minimize patient burden. As patient-centric clinical trials become increasingly popular in oncology, cancer treatments are similarly seeing new innovations in delivery methods for improved safety profiles, efficacy outcomes, and target precision. One of these potential innovations is the use of engineered nanoparticles in drug delivery systems (DDSs) in nanomedicine, which has already grown to treat brain, lung, breast cancer, and more. For example, brain cancers are highly difficult to treat because of limitations posed by the blood-brain barrier (BBB), but several types of nanoparticles are being developed to address this challenge.  

Another notable advancement in treatment delivery research for cancer drugs is the emergence of CRISPR-Cas-related gene editing technologies. Cancer arises from genetic mutations that promote uncontrolled cell growth, but using CRISPR-Cas9 technology, these mutations can be altered with remarkable precision. The tool has already moved out of the laboratory and into clinical testing in patients with cancer. The first trial in the US to test a CRISPR-made cancer therapy was launched in 2019 at the University of Pennsylvania, involving making genetic modifications to improve cancer detection abilities of T-cells. Future trials may also apply CRISPR-Cas9 technology as a method for detecting specific targets, such as DNA from cancer-causing viruses and RNA from cancer cells.  

The Role of Clinical Research Organizations (CROs) in Advancing Cancer Research 

The significant advances witnessed in clinical development for cancer therapies in recent years have been largely supported by CROs and their oncology expertise in clinical trials run, making them emerge as an essential partner in the fight against cancer. Oncology sponsors leverage this expertise to improve the design, efficiency, and validity of clinical trials in several ways, based on these key functions of CROs.  

1. Facilitating Clinical Trials: CROs design and conduct clinical trials testing new cancer therapies, coordinating between multiple stakeholders to ensure efficient study execution. 
2. Ensuring Regulatory Compliance: They navigate complex regulatory requirements across different jurisdictions, helping expedite the process of bringing new treatments to market while maintaining strict safety standards. 
3. Contributing to Data Analysis: CROs employ advanced data management systems and analytical expertise to process and interpret clinical study results, providing valuable insights for cancer research advancement. 

In addition to their scientific and technological contributions to expanding the landscape of cancer therapies, CROs often join other key stakeholders to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. For example, TFS CRO commemorated World Cancer Day 2023 with their charity campaign, “TFS Together for A Future Without Cancer,” which raised more than €1,800 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The company also donated more than €15,000 in 2023 across more than 20 organizations in support of several awareness campaigns and initiatives to achieve a future without cancer, including Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Magic Line SJD.  

Read more about the philanthropic initiatives rooted in TFS’s commitment to furthering global health in this article.  

Conclusion 

As we reflect on the last few years within the field of oncology, significant strides have been made in cancer research, leading to improved patient outcomes and survival rates. New innovations and technologies will continue to emerge each year from ongoing research, and these hold significant promise for even more effective cancer treatments in the near future. World Cancer Day reminds us that achieving a world without cancer is only made possible by sustained commitment and collaboration, which are necessary to maintain momentum in developing new treatments. This involves globally advocating for continued funding in cancer research and patient care, public support for oncology clinical development initiatives, and active participation in clinical trials.  

To learn how you can help make a difference, visit worldcancerday.org and join TFS HealthScience CRO in supporting the UICC’s 2025 “United by Unique” campaign. 

TFS HealthScience: Your Global CRO Partner in Oncology & Hematology  

TFS HealthScience Oncology & Hematology CRO is dedicated to providing comprehensive services to support your oncology clinical trials. With a proven track record of over 300 cancer-related clinical trials across all phases globally, we’re committed to delivering solutions that match your needs. Our global operations teams are fully experienced with navigating the complex landscape of cancer clinical research, offering rigorous operational oversight and adherence to global standards. Visit our oncology CRO website to learn more or connect with a TFS representative here! 

To learn more about the expertise that TFS Oncology & Hematology CRO can offer for your next cancer trial, visit our page here.