AACR 2026

With more than 22,100 registrants from 85 countries and territories, the American Association for Cancer Research® (AACR) Annual Meeting 2025 held an Opening Ceremony April 27 that was highlighted by a powerful "Call to Action." Thousands of attendees held up signs reading "Cancer Research Saves Lives" in support of robust and sustained funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

"As the world's first and largest cancer organization, AACR is globally recognized as the driving force behind scientific advances and practice-changing treatments for cancer," said Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), CEO of the AACR. "However, while we recognize the incredible strides that are being made in the fight against cancer, we must acknowledge that our work is not finished."

Cancer isn't a single disease. Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of cells. Ignoring the body's signal to stop, malignant cells multiply to form tumors in organs and tissues or, in the case of blood cancers, crowd out normal cells in the blood stream and bone marrow.

In a healthy body, cells grow and divide in a controlled, orderly fashion to replace those that have grown old or have been damaged and die by design in a process called apoptosis. Cancer occurs when these natural processes go awry.

When the genetic material of a cell- the DNA- is damaged, mutations can arise, potentially disrupting normal growth and division. An accumulation of mutations can turn normal cells into precancerous cells, which sometimes multiply and evolve into cancer cells. Cancer is a result of the accumulation of these cells.

Have you been searching for a way to raise money for cancer research, but didn't know where to start? Are you short on time but big on motivation? The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Foundation has just the solution!

Whether participating in a virtual race or an in-person event, when you run with the AACR Runners for Research team, you run to save lives. So, get ready to lace up those shoes and run with us.

The AACR Runners for Research program envisions a world without cancer and knows this goal is one that requires a united front. Cancer is a disease that affects us all regardless of race, gender, economic status, sexuality, religion, and the like. To that end, the AACR brings together key groups of diverse individuals, including its 58,000 AACR members worldwide, donors, volunteers, cancer survivors and advocates, and others in the cancer community, to support our mission to prevent and cure all cancers.