Photo courtesy of rdsic.edu.vn

By David L. Snelling
South Florida Times

MIAMI – Before he leaves political office this year due to term limits, Florida Republican Ron DeSantis is leaving his mark on a devastating health issue that hit close to home and impacts thousands of lives as well in the state: Cancer.

Since his wife, Casey DeSantis, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021 and is now a survivor, the couple has taken upon itself to launch a series of programs for better research for a cure and healthcare options for those stricken with the deadly disease.

Ron DeSantis has awarded more than $300 million for cancer research hoping for a breakthrough and other programs to combat the disease during his term in office.

Recently, DeSantis announced $60 million in awards through the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Florida Cancer Innovation Fund and opened the application cycle for Fiscal Year 2026-27, with $70 million available for new awards, a $10 million increase over last year.

Following a rigorous and competitive review process, $60 million was awarded through the Fiscal Year 2025-26 application cycle to researchers and institutions in the fight against cancer.

The funding allows advancing the next generation of cancer prevention and treatment strategies, and the awards support a diverse group of grantees across Florida, from established research institutions to emerging innovators pursuing promising new approaches in the fight against cancer.

“Today, I was proud to announce the winners of this year’s Florida Cancer Innovation Fund awards and the opening of applications for next year’s awards. This promising initiative now has $70 million in funding for groundbreaking cancer research projects, $10 million more than the previous cycle,” DeSantis said during a press conference in Orlando. “Congratulations to the awardees, and thank you for all you do to make Florida a beacon of hope in cancer research and treatment.”

The Florida Cancer Innovation Fund is part of the state’s broader effort to advance cancer research and collaboration.

Through the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program, with oversight by Cancer Connect Collaborative, and other targeted investments, Florida has implemented programs designed to break down barriers between researchers and institutions and accelerate the development of new treatments.

According to the Florida Department of Health, cancer remains the second leading cause of death in Florida, and nearly 40 percent of Floridians will face a cancer diagnosis during their lifetime.

Blacks have a higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer than any other racial group in the U.S., according to the Center of Disease and Control Prevention (CDC).

Blacks have the highest death rate for cancer overall, a lower overall 5-year cancer survival rate than White people.

African Americans also are more likely than White people to be diagnosed with female breast, lung, and colorectal cancers at a late stage.

Cancer is harder to treat after it spreads from the place where it started to other parts of the body.

Florida is stepping up efforts to fight the disease.

Since 2019, Florida has invested more than $1.4 billion in cancer research and treatment, and funding for cancer research programs has increased by more than 175 percent.

In fiscal year 2026-27 alone, Florida committed nearly $228 million to cancer research and innovation.

State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo said cancer treatment and research programs are making progress.
“These investments give researchers the freedom to ask important questions, explore new ideas, and follow the evidence wherever it leads,” he said.

One recent breakthrough is giving hope to pancreatic cancer patients.

According to the Associated Press, the Food and Drug Administration last week approved a groundbreaking new drug for advanced pancreatic cancer, offering U.S. patients a more effective treatment against one of the deadliest types of cancer.

FDA officials gave expedited approval to the first-of-a-kind pill, called daraxonrasib, which blocks a mutated protein that fuels tumor growth in more than 90 percent of pancreatic cancer cases.

The daily pills will be sold by Revolution Medicines under the brand name Rasonque.

Patients taking the drug nearly doubled their survival time, with fewer severe side effects, in a study that randomly assigned them to receive the experimental treatment or more chemotherapy.

The company-funded study enrolled 500 patients whose metastatic, or spreading, cancer had quit responding to prior treatment.

Patients getting the new treatment lived for a median of 13.2 months compared with 6.7 months for chemotherapy recipients.

Side effects included skin rash, mouth sores, diarrhea and other digestive issues.

“This is not a cure, it’s one more option for these patients,”Dr. Pashtoon Kasi of City of Hope Orange County, a California-based cancer center, told the Associated Press. “But it’s the best option we’ve ever had.”

According to the American Cancer Society, pancreatic cancer is among the most deadly forms in large part because it is hard to detect before it starts spreading to other organs.

It estimates about 67,000 new cases will be diagnosed in the United States this year and more than 52,000 people will die from the disease.

The five-year overall survival rate is 13 percent.

Nevertheless, Florida’s continued investments are designed to ensure researchers have the resources to pursue breakthroughs as well, while giving patients and families better access to innovative treatments and hope for the future.

Florida Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Shevaun L. Harris said the state’s bold vision for what it could accomplish in the fight against cancer is paying off.

“Nearly 150 funded projects later, that vision is paying off for families in every part of our state,” said Harris. “From rural communities to major cancer centers, Florida patients are getting access to groundbreaking research and life-changing care close to home. This is what happens when a state decides cancer research is not optional. It is a priority.”

Funding Opportunity Announcement

This year’s grant funding represents an expanded commitment to comprehensive cancer prevention and treatment innovation, including dedicated support for clinical trials, nutrition-based prevention research, and generic drug repurposing initiatives.

The purpose of the effort is to energize collaborations between oncologists, cutting edge researchers, and cancer facilities and to provide a plausible route for expedited funding to bolster competitiveness for extramural cancer research funding.

The aim is to provide opportunities to break down long-standing silos between researchers, cancer facilities, and medical providers to improve cancer research and treatment through rapid (12-month) innovative approaches to cancer research.