The American Cancer Society has formed two roundtables—focused on breast and cervical malignancies—to eliminate disparities and improve policies and care systems.
The roundtables were announced Oct. 24 at a White House event hosted by first lady Jill Biden and legendary hip-hop, soul, and R&B artist Mary J. Blige.
“When Joe and I issued a call to action, the American Cancer Society answered by bringing this proven roundtable strategy to two diseases that have taken so many lives: breast and cervical cancer,” Biden said.
The roundtables, which were initially announced Feb. 11, are ACS’s response to President Biden’s reignited Cancer Moonshot, which aims to cut the death rate for cancer by at least 50% over the next 25 years (The Cancer Letter, Feb. 4, Sept. 16, Oct. 21, 2022).
“We have more than 40 organizations signed on so far. Many more will follow after today’s launch,” ACS CEO Karen Knudsen said Oct. 24 at the White House event. “I’d like to thank Dr. Biden and the White House for allowing us to be here today on this important historic launch and for inspiring us to put the resources forward toward these roundtables.”
The roundtables have the following mission:
- The ACS National Breast Cancer Roundtable aims to accelerate progress across the breast cancer spectrum through strategic partnerships to eliminate disparities and reduce mortality. The group will be chaired by Arif Kamal, chief patient officer at ACS, Olufunmilayo F. Olopade, of UChicago Medicine, and John Williams, of the President’s Cancer Panel and Breast Cancer School for Patients.
- The ACS National Roundtable on Cervical Cancer is a coalition of organizations dedicated to cervical cancer elimination in our lifetime. It will engage key organizations to institute policy and systems changes to improve prevention, screening, and treatment and to reduce barriers to care, eliminate disparities, reduce harms, and promote new technologies. The roundtable will be chaired by Deborah Arrindell, of Health Policy American Sexual Health Association, Akiva Novetsky, of Westchester Medical Center/New York Medical College, and Debbie Saslow, of ACS.
The two roundtables would focus on improving screening, care, and related policy, with particular emphasis on prevention, early detection, and access to state-of-the-art treatment, Knudsen said.
“In year one from these roundtables, you can expect from us a commitment of organizational members to partner toward increasing access to screening and to quality cancer care for breast and cervical cancer,” Knudsen said. “You can expect delivery on health policy, giving recommendations and realistic strategies toward measurably reducing cancer disparities in the country for breast and cervical cancer.”
Recent ACS data and analysis found that 287,850 new cases of breast cancer and 43,250 deaths are expected in 2022, with an additional 14,100 new cases and 4,280 deaths from cervical cancer.
“These roundtables will bring together leading organizations and experts to drive progress and improve the lives of people living with cancer, as well as support their families,” said Kamal, who serves as the ACS Breast Cancer Roundtable tri-chair. “We are the recognized leader for cancer roundtables, and we are well positioned to quickly make a collective impact against cancer and close the gaps in disparities.”
Black women have lower breast cancer incidence than white women but 40% higher breast cancer mortality. This racial disparity has persisted since 2011. Similarly, Black women are 18% more likely than white women to be diagnosed with cervical cancer, yet have a 52% higher chance of dying compared to white women.
“I’m convinced that if all my aunts, godmothers, and grandparents had seen campaigns like this… oh God,” Blige said as she held back tears. “They would have a different outcome today.”
The rate of cervical cancer, which is almost completely preventable through screening and vaccination, is 32% higher in Hispanic women in the continental U.S. and Hawaii and 78% higher in Puerto Rico compared to non-Hispanic white women.
“You can expect us to deliver roadmaps toward the goal of increasing access to and through cancer screening,” Knudsen said. “It’s not enough to get women into screening, and we must do more once a diagnosis has been made. And this will also include, as part of the screening strategies, early detection whenever possible, including but not limited to in-home screening.”
Roundtables are not new to the American Cancer Society or to oncology, Knudsen said. The breast and cervical cancer initiatives bring the total number of ACS roundtables to six—including existing roundtables for colorectal and lung cancers, HPV vaccination, and patient navigation.
“They have a rich history of impact and are powered by collaboration,” Knudsen said. “Roundtables serve to assemble key stakeholders to find meaningful synergy to execute toward a defined goal.
In her remarks, Knudsen referred to the initiatives as “groundshots,” suggesting that these are terrestrial goals that can be achieved.
Jill Biden, EdD
First lady of the United States
Karen E. Knudsen, MBA, PhD
Chief executive officer, American Cancer Society
Mary J. Blige
Nine-time Grammy Award winner
“We actually launched the first groundshot roundtable from the American Cancer Society here, at the White House, for colorectal cancer more than a quarter of a century ago. It has led to a significant uptake in colorectal cancer screening and awareness.”
According to ACS, the roundtables align with the February 2022 President’s Cancer Panel report, “Closing Gaps in Cancer Screening: Connecting People, Communities, and Systems to Improve Equity and Access.” The roundtables are also consistent with recommendations from the ACS National Consortium for Cancer Screening and Care to accelerate the adoption of evidence-based cancer screening intervention and policies through coordinated efforts from roundtables and coalitions.
“We’re going to find the best way to help people get vaccines, screenings like mammograms and pap smears, and all of the care that they need—no matter their race, ZIP code, or background,” Biden said. “And we’re going to come together to accelerate research so we can better treat these diseases and save more lives.”
A video of the announcement appears here.
Knudsen’s and Biden’s Oct. 24 remarks at the White House follow:
Karen Knudsen: It’s an incredible pleasure to be here. This is just eight short months after I had the honor of being in this room with Dr. Biden and President Biden as the Moonshot was reignited. The comments that day truly resonated with us at the American Cancer Society.
We represent all 1.9 million Americans who hear each year that they will have cancer. And we are certainly, absolutely resonating with the goal of the Moonshot to end cancer as we know it.
Our goal is to improve the lives of cancer patients and their families. We do that through research, through advocacy, through providing direct patient support, and as evidenced by today, putting together key stakeholders in a room to go toward a common goal.
Today, we deliver on something that we promised in the hours after the Moonshot reignition, which is to stand side by side with the president and with the administration to reduce the burden of cancer across the country.
We are enthusiastic today about announcing the launch of two critical “groundshots” sponsored by the American Cancer Society on the way toward that cancer moonshot. These groundshots come in the form of the launch of the American Cancer Society National Breast Cancer Roundtable and the American Cancer Society National Roundtable on Cervical Cancer.
We have a significant sense of urgency today in doing so. Breast cancer, unfortunately, as we stand here, remains the second leading cause of cancer death for women in this country and for Black women and Hispanic women, the number one leading cause of cancer death for some of the reasons that Mary [J. Blige] so beautifully outlined for you.
Mortality rates are 40% higher in Black women versus whites in this country from breast cancer, and we call that unacceptable. This is due in large part to diagnosis at a later stage, acquisition of aggressive diseases, delays in treatment, and reduced access to quality care. These are things that the ACS Roundtable for Breast Cancer can overcome through partnership.
Cervical cancer also creates a significant sense of urgency around the country, with more than 14,000 individuals expected to be diagnosed in this country alone this year, with more than 4,000 deaths. And disparities are profound, sometimes geographic. In the Deep South and in Appalachia, Black women also are 80% more likely to die of cervical cancer than white counterparts.
We can and we must eliminate cervical cancer. That’s within our power with the cancer vaccine in the form of vaccination against HPV, and the cancer groundshot ACS Roundtable will attack these issues.
Roundtables are not new to the American Cancer Society, and they’re not new to many of the partners in this room. They have a rich history of impact and are powered by collaboration. Roundtables serve to assemble key stakeholders to find meaningful synergy to execute toward a defined goal.
We actually launched the first groundshot roundtable from the American Cancer Society here, at the White House, for colorectal cancer more than a quarter of a century ago. It has led to a significant uptake in colorectal cancer screening and awareness.
Based on that success, we launched three more roundtables on lung cancer, on HPV vaccination uptake, and also on patient navigation, which we know leads to better outcomes for cancer patients. So, today we double down. We commit our contribution to the Moonshot through these two additional roundtables that will focus on achievable goals related to health equity, access to care, and using patient support from every aspect of the continuum—prevention to survivorship.
So, what does that mean in real terms? What can you expect from us?
In year one from these roundtables, you can expect from us a commitment of organizational members to partner toward increasing access to screening and to quality cancer care for breast and cervical cancer.
You can expect delivery on health policy, giving recommendations and realistic strategies toward measurably reducing cancer disparities in the country for breast and cervical cancer.
And third, you can expect us to deliver roadmaps toward the goal of increasing access to and through cancer screening. It’s not enough to get women into screening, and we must do more once a diagnosis has been made. And this will also include, as part of the screening strategies, early detection whenever possible, including but not limited to in-home screening.
And what is the long-term goal of these roundtables? The long-term goal is to use the power of the roundtable to end breast and cervical cancer as we know it—for everyone.
I’d like to thank our partners in advance. We have more than 40 organizations signed on so far. Many more will follow after today’s launch.
I’d like to thank our roundtable chairs for cervical cancer: Dr. [Akiva] Novetsky, Ms.[Deborah] Arrindell, and Dr. [Debbie] Saslow. For breast cancer: Dr. [Olufunmilayo] Olopade, Dr. [John] Williams, and ACS’s own Dr. [Arif] Kamal.
And I’d like to thank Dr. Biden and the White House for allowing us to be here today on this important historic launch and for inspiring us to put the resources forward toward these roundtables.
Through these powerful roundtables, these groundshots, together we can and will make a difference. Because we must, because we have the collective expertise, and because, frankly, the world is counting on us to improve the lives of individuals from cancer and to create a better future.
So, with that in mind, I’d like to now introduce Dr. Jill Biden, who will speak a little bit more about the Moonshot and how the roundtables fit into that vision. Thank you.
Jill Biden: Thank you, Karen. You bring a spirit of collaboration to this work that’s such an inspiration, and we’re grateful for you, and the American Cancer Society, for being such great partners over the years.
Mary, thank you for lending your powerful voice to this cause. Karen described a bright future, but in order to get there, we can’t leave anyone behind.
And Tamika [Felder]— by telling your story, by joining us here, you are making women everywhere feel less alone, and helping ensure they can access the care they need.
There are certain words that have the power to make time stop. Malignant. Aggressive. Terminal. Cancer.
They can still the air around us—freeze our bodies in place, as we feel the world we knew slipping away.
In the span of a breath, a thousand questions fill our minds: What do I do? Who do I tell? How will I afford this? Will I be able to see my kids grow up?
In February, the president and I reignited the Cancer Moonshot with a bold ambition: to build a world where the word cancer forever loses its power.
We’re doing that by breaking down the barriers that hold back critical collaboration and research. We’re investing more money than ever before in new treatments and therapies, and making sure people can get the best, cutting-edge care sooner. And we’re creating better ways to help patients and their loved ones understand and navigate their care.
So, what does the world we’re building look like? It’s a world where people don’t have to face complicated care plans alone.
Where they don’t lose their life savings just trying to survive.
Where treatments are less toxic—and patients and the people who love them have the support they need to thrive.
Where a diagnosis is no longer a death sentence.
The Cancer Moonshot is about a future where we don’t have to be afraid of cancer anymore. And today, we are coming together to make that future real.
When Joe and I issued a call to action, the American Cancer Society answered by bringing this proven roundtable strategy to two diseases that have taken so many lives: breast and cervical cancer.
We are joined by doctors and scientists, business leaders and government officials, entertainers and professors. Why? Because it takes all of us, from hospitals to the National Football League, from academia to industry, working together, sharing our best ideas and resources.
Thanks in part to many people in this room, we now have a better understanding of how cancers develop, and we have more ways than ever to prevent, detect, and treat them.
Together, we’re going to make sure everyone has access to the screenings they need, so that they can catch cancer before it’s deadly.
We’re going to find the best way to help people get vaccines, screenings like mammograms and pap smears, and all of the care that they need—no matter their race, ZIP code, or background. And we’re going to come together to accelerate research so we can better treat these diseases and save more lives.
None of us can beat cancer alone, and it will take all of us putting patients and their loved ones at the center of their own cancer journey, from screenings to survivorship.
Yes, the word cancer still has the power to strike fear into our hearts. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Because we have power, too. More than we even know.
We’re going to create a world where we discover and dream our way past its paralysis: where we come together, as a united community, and rewrite the story that cancer tells.
Thank you for being a part of the future we’re building together. Thank you for helping us end cancer as we know it for good.
