Cancer Diagnosis and Molecular Imaging

What is Cancer Diagnosis and Molecular Imaging?

Cancer diagnosis research aims to develop improved technologies and techniques for detecting and characterizing cancer, determining its stage, selecting appropriate treatments, and monitoring patient outcomes. Major areas of focus include discovering and validating diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers; improving imaging and molecular profiling to define tumor characteristics; and advancing integrated diagnosis systems to enable precision oncology.

Accurate diagnosis across all cancer phases, from risk assessment through early detection, localized disease, and late-stage progression, provides vital information guiding timely intervention and optimal care for better outcomes. Ongoing diagnosis monitoring also gives critical insight into treatment efficacy and disease recurrence.

Accurate and early cancer diagnosis is essential for improving patient outcomes through timely intervention. Molecular imaging techniques provide unprecedented insights into tumor biology at cellular and molecular levels to guide personalized cancer management.

NFCR's Current Early Detection & Intervention Focus

A little over 2 million new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in the US in 2024 – 20% of new cancer diagnoses come from cancer survivors. One of NFCR’s current focuses is to conduct more research on early cancer detection and early-stage cancer intervention and treatment. We are supporting a group of leading-edge scientists pioneering and investigating innovative approaches to stop cancers at their early stage, such as stage zero, and to detect them before new cancer happens.

Our goal is to reduce cancer incidences and increase cancer survivors. Through a focus on the detection and eradication of the first cancer cell, we can stop cancer before it starts!

NFCR IMPACTS IN EARLY DETECTION AND INTERVENTION RESEARCH

NFCR has funded research on biomarkers and imaging techniques to improve early detection of cancer, leading to advances like the discovery of altered methylation patterns in precancerous cells.
Through its public education and awareness efforts, NFCR promotes prevention behaviors like healthy eating, exercise, and recommended cancer screenings that can reduce cancer risk and incidence.
The Foundation provides funding for chemoprevention research investigating the effectiveness of natural compounds (e.g. antioxidants) and drugs to prevent cancer, furthering the development of risk-reducing options.

NFCR IMPACTS IN CANCER DIAGNOSIS AND MOLECULAR IMAGING RESEARCH

NFCR provides funding for research correlating novel diagnostic markers with tumor biology and treatment outcomes, expanding cancer characterization for better-informed care.
NFCR supports studies integrating imaging with genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics to advance diagnostics for localized and recurrent tumors.
Through its seed grant initiatives, NFCR enables proof-of-concept studies on early-stage diagnostic technologies to accelerate development into clinical tools.

Donate to Support Cancer Diagnosis and Molecular Imaging Research and Beyond