On January 15 and 16, 2025, the fourth annual Nixon National Cancer Conference convened at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. Bringing together leaders in cancer treatment and research with policymakers, journalists, patients, caretakers and other stakeholders, this conference encourages dialogue and shares the latest progress building on the legacy of the National Cancer Act of 1971. This year the conference focused on the ways we communicate about cancer and build trust within the cancer community.
During the opening night event, the Richard Nixon Foundation presented the Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach Award to Dr. Monica M. Bertagnolli, 17th director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), whose work as a physician-scientist has placed her at the forefront of clinical oncology. Established in 2024, the Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach Award recognizes individuals whose work has significantly impacted cancer research and treatment, alleviated suffering, extended and saved lives, and whose visionary outlook continues to be a source of inspiration.
Robert Stone, CEO of City of Hope, introduced the award and this year’s honoree. After the award presentation, Dr. Monica Bertagnolli participated in a fireside chat with Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach. Their conversation focused on their shared experiences working in oncology in the private sector at major cancer centers and then transitioning to the government sector.
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When describing The National Cancer Act that led to the founding of the National Cancer Centers, Dr. Bertagnolli said,
“What a deal for American people! We put in a tiny fraction from the government of what it takes to deliver the extra innovation– the extra incentive. What do we get for that? We get a community that is working together to solve problems together. We get a culture of innovation and caring for people with responding to resources. We get a community that is incentivized to write grants and get it funded. I listen to these discussions and think about what money we [the government] put in and what a return on investment we are getting from our Cancer Centers. It’s truly remarkable. The wisdom of the National Cancer Act to create this. Boy, do we take it for granted!”
Ambassador Robert C. O’Brien, Chairman of the Richard Nixon Foundation, opened the conference. Annette Walker, President of City of Hope Orange County and Jim Byron, President and CEO of the Richard Nixon Foundation delivered welcoming remarks.
The second day of the conference featured four panels centered around different aspects of the ways we communicate about cancer and a luncheon keynote with a policy update live from Washington, DC.
Panel 1: The Complexity of Cancer Care Today
Panelists:
Anna Barker, MD, PhD – Chief Strategy Officer, Ellison Medical Institute, Former Principal Deputy Director, National Cancer Institute, Distinguished Visiting Fellow and Professor, Complex Adaptive Systems, Arizona State University
Ellen V. Sigal, PhD – Chairperson & Founder of Friends of Cancer Research
Marcel van den Brink, MD, PhD – President of City of Hope Cancer Center and National Medical Center, Chief Physician Executive and the Deana and Steve Campbell Chief Physician Executive Distinguished Chair
Richard A. Van Etten, MD, PhD – Director of the UCI Health Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
Peter WT Pisters, MD (moderator) – President, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Communicating about cancer research and treatment options is complex, especially considering the advancements made in treatment since President Nixon’s National Cancer Act of 1971. This panel focused on the patient perspective and ways that doctors and other health care providers can help patients navigate the patient journey.
Panelists discussed:
- How to better utilize communication channels with patients
- The role of academic cancer centers in supporting community doctors
- Challenges of communicating accurate information that keeps up with the pace of discovery
- Navigating sources of information while considering what Dr. Van Etten said, “a well-educated patient is our best ally”
- Opportunities and limitations of leveraging AI and other technologies
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Panel 2: Medicine, Cancer and Artificial Intelligence
Panelists:
Sean Khozin, MD, MPH – CEO, Roundtable on Cancer and Project Data Sphere
Eric Stahlberg, PhD – Former Director, Cancer Data Science Initiatives (CDSI) for Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR); Executive Administrative Director for the Institute for Data Science in Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Clifford Hudis, MD, FACP, FASCO (moderator) – Chief Executive Officer of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is bringing about a fundamental transformation to how we interact with the world. As described by Dr. Clifford Hudis, panel moderator, “AI is ubiquitous, universal and provides ever-present tools that are here to stay.” This session explored the ways AI tools are already being implemented to advance cancer research and treatment, discussed the limitations and challenges of using AI and considered what strides can be made in the future.
Panelists discussed:
- Different applications for AI within cancer care spanning from the direct doctor/patient relationship to advances in pharmaceutical development and clinical trials
- How AI is making a difference in clinical use with the utilization of large-language models to streamline administrative work
- What should the regulatory environment and standard operating procedures be for using AI
- Navigating the upcoming opportunities and challenges as AI continues to evolve
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Luncheon Keynote: What’s Ahead for Cancer Policy
Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-2) joined the conference live from Washington, DC, to give updates on key pieces of legislation upcoming in the recently sworn-in 119th session of Congress. As the Chair of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Rep. Guthrie discussed the bi-partisan effort to get resources for cancer research and care.
Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach and Dr. Monica Bertagnolli followed Rep. Guthrie’s remarks with a discussion on the role of government in cancer research and care. They discussed the work of the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Centers, to develop new research and technologies as well as upcoming changes and initiatives centered around the goal to continue to make life better for everyone.
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Lunch featured a health-conscious menu curated by conference steering committee member, Dr. William Li whose best-selling books focus on using food as medicine.
Dr. Michael Stamos, Dean of UCI School of Medicine, spoke about the innovation in research and clinical trials happening at UCI School of Medicine.
Panel 3: The Crisis of Trust in Health Institutions Today
Panelists:
Hazem H. Chehabi, MD – President, Medical Director, Nuclear Medicine Physician, Newport Diagnostic Center
Sanjay Juneja, MD – Social & News Media Personality (@TheOncDoc), Blood and Cancer Specialist and Host of Podcast “Target: Cancer”
Edward S. Kim, MD, MBA (moderator) – Physician-in-Chief, City of Hope Orange County; Vice Physician-in-Chief, City of Hope National Medical Center
One of the most significant challenges we face today is the society-wide crisis of confidence and loss of trust in the authority of institutions. Where medicine is concerned, despite the great advances in treatment and care, there has been a loss of trust in both the messenger and the message that was exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. This panel sought to give an honest assessment of the root causes of distrust so solutions to rebuild the doctor/patient relationship can be implemented.
Panelists discussed:
- An assessment of why trust of doctors and medical institutions has decreased over the decades
- Ways doctors can leverage limited time to build trust with patients
- Alternative ways to communicate with patients and caretakers through content creation
- How channels of information including social media and be both useful and dangerous
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Panel 4: New Ways –and Means– of Communicating About Cancer
Panelists:
Kat Arney, PhD – Founder and Chief Creative Officer, First Create the Media
Shannon La Cava, PsyD – Director, Simms/Mann-UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology
Elaine Schattner, MD, MA – Writer, patient advocate, physician
Kate Pickert (moderator) – Journalist, professor and author of Radical: The Science, Culture and History of Breast Cancer in America
This panel explored how new and reimagined methods of communicating including podcasts, self-published blogs and social media are playing a part in reestablishing trust in medical institutions.
Panelists discussed:
- The transformation in the way patients communicate about their cancer journey that includes opportunities for storytelling and building community
- How access to information affects the mental health of patients in both positive and negative ways
- Strategies for using the tools and tactics of modern digital media to improve the quality of communication
- Methods for critically evaluating sources and filtering information
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Special thanks to the 2025 Nixon National Cancer Conference Sponsors: City of Hope, UCI Health Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Kaiser Permanente, Marlene Malek, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and CHOC Hyundai Cancer Institute.
The conversations fostered by the Nixon National Cancer Conference around the topic of communicating about cancer are still happening and we encourage you to engage online at our social channels (@nixonfoundation) to keep the conversation going.