A special report from the Canadian Cancer Research Alliances survey of government and voluntary sectory investment in cancer research. September 20-11.
Key findings
* The combined investment in survivorship and palliative and end-of-life care from 2005 to 2008 was less than 5% of the total cancer research investment over the same period.
* The investment in survivorship research was on the upswing and cancer research funders within the voluntary sector played an important role in supporting this research.
* The investment in survivorship research was commensurate with disease burden for all but a few types of cancer.
* The investment in palliative and end-of-life care research has not kept pace with cancer research funding overall.
* The research investment in palliative and end-of-life care relied on strategic funding initiatives offered by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and those programs have now ended.
* On a relative basis the research investment in survivorship and palliative and end-of-life care research was highest in Alberta, suggesting that these are key areas of cancer research in the province.
* Principal investigators in Quebec played a leadership role in training in the areas of survivorship and palliative and end-of-life care research.
