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Date reviewed: 07/15/04

The National Cancer Institute (NCI), the largest component of the National Institutes of Health, coordinates a national research program on cancer causes and prevention, detection and diagnosis, and treatment. These activities are funded by Federal Government appropriations.

The NCI's total budget for Fiscal Year 2003 was over $4.6 billion. The NCI will invest an estimated $4.7 billion during Fiscal Year 2004. The budget is expected to increase to nearly $4.9 billion in Fiscal Year 2005. These funds support research at the Institute's headquarters in Maryland and in laboratories and medical centers throughout the United States. Other Federal agencies, state and local governments, voluntary organizations, industry, and private institutions also spend a substantial amount of money on cancer-related research and services.

The following table shows NCI spending in Fiscal Years 2003, 2004, and 2005 for the four most common types of cancer in the United States (excluding basal and squamous cell skin cancers):

Cancer Site

2003 Spending (actual, in millions)

2004 Spending (estimated, in millions)

2005 Spending (estimated, in millions)

Breast	$548.6	$578.0	$605.0
Colorectal	$261.6	$272.0	$279.0
Lung	$273.4	$288.5	$297.0
Prostate	$305.2	$320.5	$337.0

Information about funding for other types of cancer and additional information about NCI's budget are available on NCI's Financial Management Branch's home page at http://www.cancer.gov/admin/fmb on the Internet.

Publications (available at http://www.cancer.gov/publications)

• The Nation’s Investment in Cancer Research: A Plan and Budget Proposal for Fiscal Year 2005
• NCI Fact Book 2003

National Cancer Institute (NCI) Resources