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By integrating discovery science with clinical practice and therapeutic intervention, clinician-scientists fulfil a unique role in cancer research. However, their numbers are in decline, which is creating the need for flexible training and research opportunities to ensure their future.
Intratumoral genetic heterogeneity of driver somatic mutations is present in a variety of tumor types, yet the extent of heterogeneity is variable. We propose that this variation is a reflection of the inherent biology of a given tumor type, representing the pace of metastatic dissemination and hence clinical disease course.
Cancer is a multifaceted global health issue that continues to demand action. We are launching Nature Cancer to inform, inspire and convene scientists across the multidisciplinary arena of cancer research, aiming to advance biomedical knowledge and treatment strategies within the greater framework of society.
Norman E. ‘Ned’ Sharpless became director of the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) in 2017. From April 2019, he served as acting commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and he returned to the NCI in November. Douglas R. Lowy has been the principal deputy director of the NCI since 2010, having also served as acting director twice, most recently in 2019. Nature Cancer spoke with both last fall to learn more about what makes NCI and its leadership tick.
