Overview

• The analysis of 107,955 grants from 2016–2023 found $51.4 billion invested worldwide, with the United States providing $29.3 billion (57%).
• Low-income countries received just $8.4 million—less than 0.1% of total funding—despite carrying heavy cancer burdens.
• Funding favored pre-clinical laboratory work (76%), while surgery (1.7%) and radiotherapy (3.1%) research received minimal support.
• Annual investment declined each year since 2016 except for a 2021 spike, with BRICS funding falling after 2018 and EU investment rising after 2021.
• The authors warn that potential US cuts under President Trump could weaken collaboration and say blocs such as the Commonwealth and EU could partly offset losses by redirecting a small share of domestic grants to cross-border projects.