The cancer treatment 98% of patients never get offered
And how to advocate for it
When I was treated for cancer, immunotherapy was part of my protocol. It’s part of why I’m here, writing this.
The American Cancer Society just announced that since 1983, the 5-year survival rate for cancer has risen from 50% to 70%. Immunotherapy is a significant part of that improvement.
But 98% of cancer patients never access clinical trials where the most advanced immunotherapy treatments are available. Most aren’t even offered the option.
I just spoke with Dr. Karen Knudsen, CEO of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, about why this gap exists—and how AI is finally starting to close it.
She walked me through three types of immunotherapy that are reshaping cancer treatment:
Checkpoint inhibitors that unmask cancer cells hiding from your immune system
Cell-based therapies that retrain your immune cells to hunt cancer—and can cure with a single dose
Vaccines that teach your immune system to recognize cancer proteins for life
One recent vaccine study blew my mind: Nine patients scheduled for surgery had their tumors shrink so much they no longer needed the operation. Cure without cutting.
But the most urgent issue Dr. Knudsen raised wasn’t about the science—it was about access.
Clinical trials are chronically underfunded. Opening one requires deciding which trials to run, matching patients to brutal eligibility criteria, and managing mountains of data. Most community hospitals can’t hire the teams needed to do this work.
So breakthrough treatments sit unused while patients settle for less.
For paid subscribers, I break down:
The three clinical trial bottlenecks—and how Agentic AI solves all of them
Why venture capital won’t fund breakthrough science until it’s “de-risked” (and what the Parker Institute does about it)
The truth about full-body scans and multi-cancer blood tests
How to navigate the chaos when cancer patients see an average of 32 different providers
What genetic testing can actually tell you about cancer risk—and what it can’t
If you or someone you love is facing cancer, understanding how to access the most advanced care matters. A lot.
