- Longitudinal Biospecimens: Blood and tumor samples collected before and during treatment to study drug response and resistance.
- National Research Resource: Over 1,300 participants enrolled across 77 community and academic oncology sites.
- Diverse Patient Cohort: Biobank includes multiple cancer types and participants from underrepresented and rural populations.
The U.S. National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Moonshot Biobank has surpassed its initial enrollment goal of 1,000 participants, marking a significant milestone in building a national biospecimen resource for cancer research. The initiative collects blood and tumor tissue from patients with advanced cancers undergoing standard-of-care treatment at hospitals participating in the National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program and the National Clinical Trials Network across the United States.
The biobank is designed to support studies exploring why some patients respond well to therapies while others develop resistance, as well as how tumors evolve under treatment pressure. According to James H. Doroshow, director of the NCI Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, the collection of clinically annotated blood and tumor samples over time has long been a priority for advancing understanding of tumor progression and drug resistance. Once enrollment closes, researchers will be able to request these biospecimens for scientific studies.
Supporting Research on Targeted Therapies
Launched in 2020, the biobank enrolls patients receiving FDA-approved targeted therapies—treatments designed to attack specific genetic mutations present in tumors. Tumor samples donated by participants are analyzed by the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research’s Molecular Characterization Laboratory to generate biomarker reports that may also help physicians guide treatment decisions.
While targeted therapies can provide more precise treatment with fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy, many tumors eventually develop resistance. By systematically collecting standardized biospecimens and associated clinical data, the biobank aims to enable biomarker discovery, improve research reproducibility, and accelerate precision oncology studies.
Longitudinal Data for Drug Resistance Studies
A distinguishing feature of the Cancer Moonshot Biobank is its longitudinal design. Instead of collecting a single biopsy at enrollment, researchers gather tumor tissue and blood samples at multiple stages of a patient’s treatment journey. These include archival samples, baseline collections, on-treatment samples, post-treatment specimens, and samples taken when disease progression occurs.
This comprehensive approach provides researchers with a detailed timeline of biological changes during therapy, along with associated clinical, radiology, and pathology data. Such datasets offer valuable opportunities to investigate mechanisms of treatment resistance and tumor evolution across different cancer types.
Building a Diverse National Cohort
To reflect the demographics of the United States, the initiative has partnered with hospitals and cancer centers nationwide. As of now, 1,301 participants have been enrolled from 77 community and academic sites within NCI research networks. The cohort includes patients representing 10 different cancer types, with 17% identifying as Black or African American, 8% as Hispanic or Latino, and 23% living in rural areas.
Engagement initiatives—including participant portals, provider outreach, and community engagement programs—have supported enrollment and retention. According to project leaders, these efforts have helped transform the Cancer Moonshot Biobank from an emerging initiative into a mature national biospecimen resource.
Enrollment is scheduled to close in March 2026, with patient follow-up continuing until March 2027, after which the collection will become broadly accessible to the research community.
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