Reston, VA -- On Friday, August 8, the Senate Appropriations Committee released the FY25 Defense Appropriations Report. SNMMI advocated for the inclusion of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) on the list of conditions eligible for dedicated research funding through the Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program’s (CDMRP’s) Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP). We were pleased to see it is included in the Senate report. The committee recommended that $130,000,000 be allocated from the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program’s (CDMRP) Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP):
“…to be used to conduct research in the following areas: bladder cancer; blood cancers; brain cancer; colorectal cancer; endometrial cancer; esophageal cancer; germ cell cancers; kidney cancer; liver cancer; lung cancer; lymphoma; mesothelioma; neuroblastoma; neuroendocrine tumors; pancreatic cancer; pediatric brain tumors; pediatric, adolescent, and young adult cancers; sarcoma; stomach cancer; and thyroid cancer.”
The DoD CDMRP was created in 1992 by Congress to foster novel approaches to biomedical research that benefit active duty servicemembers (ADS), their families, and the general population. These programs fund novel and innovative research related to several cancers and diseases, including breast cancer, prostate cancer, Alzheimer’s and other neurological diseases.
During the FY24 Congressional appropriations process, SNMMI successfully advocated for the inclusion of report language in DoD funding legislation that directs CDMRP to include nuclear medicine imaging and related techniques in descriptions of funding opportunities when relevant. This year, we applaud the Senate for including NETs on the list of conditions eligible for dedicated research funding. SNMMI will continue to work with the House to insure that it is included in the final bill, which must be approved by both the Senate and House.
It is estimated that more than 12,000 Americans are diagnosed with NETs each year and while active duty servicemembers (ADS) represent a relatively healthy population, research shows that they are disproportionately affected by NETs due to exposure to chemical carcinogens, radiation, and agent orange.
Nuclear medicine plays a pivotal role in diagnosing and treating NETs, which are the second most common of all GI cancers. Nuclear medicine and molecular imaging are excellent options for diagnosing and treating NETs given that functional imaging with nuclear medicine imaging agents have better sensitivity and allow for more accurate localization and precise detection than conventional imaging.
SNMMI is encouraged with the inclusion of NETs in the PRCRP and will continue to monitor the appropriations process in the House and Senate. We will provide our members with any future updates.