International Cancer Advocacy Network (ICAN)

Ican patient services, including research Advocacy programs of which 290,000 in grants were awarded to the university of Texas md anderson Cancer center, the university of Pennsylvania, johns hopkins, and the university of California san francisco for projects relating to molecular alterations/resistance mechanisms, drug development w/ new mechanisms of action, early detection assays, & leptomeningeal disease. These projects cover two molecular alterations present in more than twenty-five separate tumor types each (egfr exon 20 insertions and her2 exon 20 insertions). Our patient services/oncology nursing services focus on hematological, solid tumor, synchronous/rare cancers; protocol review, & side effects mitigation.

Molecular profiling connection services/clinical trials matching services--advising patients on the importance of next-generation sequencing and molecular profiling (genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, and immune cell studies); reviewing molecular profiling reports with patients and their care partners, convening ad hoc molecular tumor boards where needed; connecting patients to principal investigators and study teams on pan- tumor/pan-heme/pan-rare Cancer basis. The organization specializes in clinical trial accrual and retention issues as well as clinical trials site selection issues. Ongoing work on decentralizing trials and just-in-time trial concepts as well as transferring patients from one clinical trials site to another more convenient site.

Patient, care partner, and clinician education/ u.s. and global patient access programs-focusing on patient access to molecular testing and precision medicine; u.s. and global health equity issues; early detection (imaging and molecular diagnostics); ongoing health information projects; and access issues regarding expanded access/pre-approval access/compassionate use programs in the u.s. and countries outside the u.s.