A future without cancer is in sight. Together, we can make it a reality.
We envision a future where every cancer is caught in time to be cured, and where survivors can enjoy life without fear of recurrence.
Stand Up To Cancer® (SU2C) raises awareness and funds research to detect and treat cancers with the aspiration to cure all patients.
SU2C is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and was initially launched in 2008 as a division of the Entertainment Industry Foundation. Established by media and entertainment leaders, SU2C utilizes these communities’ resources to engage the public in supporting a collaborative model of cancer research, to increase awareness about cancer prevention, and to highlight progress being made in the fight against the disease. The American Association of Cancer Research is SU2C’s scientific partner.
SU2C has set a bold goal to make earlystage detection an essential part of the standard of care for all cancers. By doing so we will reduce cancer deaths by 25% in five years and 50% in 10 years.
Success could mean saving hundreds of thousands of lives every year.
We are living in a time of unprecedented hope and possibility for people with cancer. Yet too often, cancer goes undetected until it is too late.
Thanks to extraordinary advances in science and technology such as immunotherapy, biologics, and targeted treatments, more people are surviving cancer and thriving after treatment. For many cancers detected in an early stage, the chance of a cure can now exceed 90%.
Still, cancer can return without warning months or years after a survivor is declared cancerfree. Even the most innovative treatments can be rendered powerless against a cancer that has advanced too far.
This is why SU2C is investing in the most promising research for early-stage detection for all cancers, including transformative new technologies such as:
• Simple, non-invasive screening tests that can detect the smallest molecular signatures of cancer
• Predictive modeling programs that use artificial intelligence (AI) to quickly analyze a patient’s cancer profile and the likelihood of success using a given treatment
• Therapeutic cancer vaccines designed with the goal of helping the immune system detect and destroy all cancers, keeping the body clear of malignancies for years, decades, or a lifetime
When four of the most common cancers are caught and treated at an early stage, a patient’s chance of survival is high.*
When the same cancers are discovered at a late stage, the story has a different ending.**
*Early-stage detection five-year survival rates
**Late-stage detection five-year survival rates Source: SEER 22 (Excluding IL/MA) 2014–2020, All Races
Early-stage detection is a proven strategy that saves lives, and it can substantially reduce healthcare costs for patients and their families. Over the past 25 years, routine screenings like the Pap smear and colonoscopy have already given Americans back many years of life. These and other recommended cancer screenings may increase detection of earlier-stage disease, which may result in decreased treatment costs, decreased financial hardship, and improved quality of life. Early-stage detection can help relieve patients and their families from advanced cancer treatment costs, which are seven times higher than treatments for early-stage disease.
AI is revolutionizing early-stage detection. With this technology, we can take our fight from defense to offense, leaving cancer with nowhere to hide.
Modeling Cancer Risk with AI
Adam Yala, Ph.D., UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco Member, SU2C Convergence 2.0 Research Team: Machine Learning for Cancer Immunotherapy
AI holds the potential to revolutionize how, when, and where we screen for some of the most common cancers. In the lab of Dr. Yala, AI-enabled breast cancer risk models developed using mammogram data have outperformed clinical tools when it comes to identifying those at risk of developing breast cancer, making it possible to intervene the right way (for example, with an MRI) at the right time to diagnose cancer early. In time, as Dr. Yala’s lab applies better algorithms to these risk models, this methodology could bring about a sea change in early detection: for example, a website where a patient could determine their risk of developing cancer and receive personalized, tailored screening recommendations based on their medical history.
Risk Assessment for Pancreatic Cancer: From Dream to Reality
Chris Sander, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School Leader, Pancreatic Cancer Collective Research Team: Computational Approaches to Identifying High-Risk Pancreatic Cancer Populations
AI may, at long last, point us toward an early-stage detection solution for pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer ranks among the most aggressive cancer types, and screenings for this cancer type are limited to those with a family history or genetic risk. Pancreatic cancer patients are often asymptomatic when the cancer is in its early stages; most are diagnosed at Stage 4. Dr. Sander, his lab and collaborators are working to change this through a threestep project that involves 1) developing a population-wide approach to risk assessment that relies on AI to extract predictive information from enormous data sets of patients’ clinical records; 2) creating and disseminating more effective early-stage detection tests that rely on blood-based biomarkers; and 3) rolling out these tools and methodologies in early-stage detection clinics. The team is currently seeking collaborators across a number of health systems to advance all three steps.
Support precision therapies
Detect patterns in data Detect patterns in screening tests Predict the effectiveness of individual treatments Prevent cancer recurrence AI can analyze enormous sets of biodata—more than scientists could analyze manually in several lifetimes. This allows investigators to trace where, when, and how cancer might strike and design precise interventions.
AI can quickly identify the presence of cancer cells in routine scans such as mammograms that might otherwise go undetected by the human eye.
AI can model a patient’s response to treatments such as immunotherapy based on their cancer’s specific genome. This enables doctors to deliver the right drug for each patient the first time.
AI can support digital pathology by identifying the precise boundaries of a tumor to help doctors eliminate as much cancer as possible and minimize damage to healthy tissues.
AI can help monitor each patient’s risk of cancer recurrence and inform survivors’ follow-up plans to help keep them cancer-free for a lifetime.
Early-stage detection can help close health equity gaps, giving all people with cancer the chance to become long-term survivors.
Cancer care advances have not yet reached all Americans equally. From early screenings to better access to specialty care, SU2C is committed to building a more equitable future for people with cancer. Our plan includes increasing diversity in the clinical trials we fund, supporting awareness campaigns, and funding research aimed at improving cancer outcomes and screening rates for medically underserved communities.
For most cancers, Black Americans still face the lowest survival rate of any racial or ethnic group.
Hispanic Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stages of disease and experience poor quality of life following a cancer diagnosis.
Asian Americans are the only racial or ethnic group in the United States for whom cancer is the leading cause of death in both men and women.
Native Americans face reduced healthcare access, leading to higher rates of advanced-stage disease for screening-detectable cancers and, as a result, poorer outcomes for many cancers.
“Stand
Up To Cancer’s investment in my research goes beyond supporting me as an early-stage investigator—it reflects their commitment to cancer health equity and the recognition that eliminating cancer disparities requires addressing social, environmental, and political factors that shape our biology. From genes to society, bench to community, Stand Up To Cancer’s dedication to cancer health equity is truly standing up for the future of cancer care.”
“Philanthropy is inherently an investment in the making of a better world. Stand Up To Cancer was built upon the bold belief in a future where no one dies from cancer. Thanks to the tireless effort of the brilliant researchers whose work we have supported, and to your generous support of SU2C, our vision is closer than ever to becoming reality.”
—Julian Adams, Ph.D., president and CEO, Stand Up To Cancer
It will take more than great science and technology to make early-stage detection the standard of care. It will take a movement. And this movement needs you.
SU2C is a movement driven by collaboration. We have the expertise, visibility, and network to focus the nation’s attention on early-stage detection and transform the standards of prevention and care for all cancers. With your support we will:
Fuel the next wave of the technological revolution in cancer care.
• Harness the power of AI and predictive algorithms to catch all cancers at their earliest stages and guide the right treatment to each patient.
• Invest in cancer vaccines and precision therapies that eliminate many different cancers.
• Bring hope to the most vulnerable patients—people who are already in remission and facing a high risk of recurrence.
Advance groundbreaking clinical trials that add to our growing arsenal of highly effective treatments and cures.
Build a groundswell of public support and awareness through our network of dedicated partners and visionary supporters.
Our Funding Model
Dream Teams
Large multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary collaborations involving up to 150 scientists.
Research Teams
Small multi-institutional collaborations of investigators.
SU2C Convergence® Teams
Biological, physical and computer sciences experts unite to better understand cancer biology and tailor treatments.
SU2C Catalyst® Teams
Industry and academic scientists accelerate clinical trials of new treatments and combination therapies.
Innovative Research Grants
Support promising early-career scientists with projects that might not receive traditional funding.
Awards & Prizes
Outside-the-box collaborations fund the nextgeneration of scientists who will shape the future of cancer research.
SU2C amplifies the impact of donor support to accelerate research for all cancers.
SU2C’s model focuses on collaborative research on unmet needs in all cancers. By supporting SU2C, you help transform the future of cancer research and care.
Collaboration Creates Impact
SU2C’s collaborative DNA unites the brightest minds for a common purpose.
Interdisciplinary research teams Foundations and other nonprofits, including our scientific partner the American Association for Cancer Research
Technology and medical industries
Entertainment and media industries
Corporate partnerships
Research Priorities
SU2C prioritizes collaborative research that leverages the latest technologies to detect and stop all cancers, and close gaps in health equity via: Early-stage detection and interception powered by AI and large language model computing Cancer vaccines and immunotherapies An emphasis on difficult to treat cancers
Education and Awareness
SU2C uses the breadth and depth of our reach in the media and entertainment industries to inform and empower the public. We spread the word about the importance of cancer screenings and preventive care, encourage participation in clinical trials, and give survivors a platform to share their stories through:
Public relations, public service announcements, televised specials, and film and TV integrations Digital marketing
Donor and community collaborations
Why it matters
Every minute an American dies of cancer 2nd most common cause of death in America for nearly 100 years
2 million+ Americans diagnosed annually
With your support, more than 2 MILLION lives could be saved in the next decade
Our success is measured in the months, years, and lifetimes given back to people with cancer and their families.
An innovative SU2C clinical trial gave Kelly a new lease on life and helped her keep her independence.
When Kelly Spill was diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer, she faced daunting treatment options including chemo, radiation, and surgery with devastating side effects, including lifelong reliance on an ostomy bag to help her digestive system function. Thanks to a SU2C-funded clinical trial testing immunotherapy as a first line treatment, Kelly was soon cancer-free without ever needing to undergo radiation or surgery. Since she received this breakthrough treatment, Kelly was able to grow her family and is now a healthy mother of two who says this experience has completely changed her outlook on life.
An SU2C clinical trial made a future without cancer possible for pediatric leukemia survivor Nick.
Nick Wilkins was only four years old when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He spent 12 years of his childhood facing grueling chemotherapy that took a toll on Nick and his parents’ well-being, and a bone marrow transplant from his sister, which kept Nick out of school for an entire year. But his cancer kept coming back. Nick’s oncologists and parents made the decision to enroll him in a SU2C-St. Baldrick’s Foundation Pediatric Cancer Dream Team clinical trial that was utilizing a cellular immunotherapy called CAR-T cell therapy Two months after Nick began the clinical trial, he was cancer free! Years later, Nick has completed college and is happy, healthy and thriving.
Mary credits SU2C-funded cancer research as the reason she is a thriving survivor today.
After electing not to pursue surgery to remove what doctors assured her was just a “lump under the skin,” Mary Witkop was diagnosed with soft tissue sarcoma. Her doctor recom-mended she enroll in a clinical trial run by an SU2C Catalyst® Research Team using immu-notherapy in combination with radiation. Mary was initially hesitant to participate, as she was worried she’d have to quit the job she loved as an attorney for an Indigenous American tribe, but she ultimately decided that participating in the trial could potentially help not only her but also many other patients with rare cancers. Mary completed her last dose of immunotherapy in June 2020. Today, she remains cancer-free.
3,100+ RESEARCHERS FUNDED 210+ COLLABORATING INSTITUTION S
13 COUNTRIES $800 million+ FUNDS RAISED
1,200 SU2C CELEBRITY AMBASSADORS
