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Cancer & AMR Consortium
Addressing the need for data to accelerate advocacy, policy and innovation
For many cancer patients who die from this awful disease,
their tumors aren’t solely responsible. In many instances, superbugs sicken these patients, who can’t fight off resistant infections due to weakened immune systems —
even with the help of antibiotics.1
Bringing New Data to Light
To fight the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in cancer patients, the Cancer & AMR Consortium was formed. Our goal is to bring new data to light about the link between AMR and cancer. Here are some of the findings:
The Inpatient Findings
Compared to non-cancer patients, hospitalized cancer patients had nearly 1.5-2x antimicrobial resistance in certain key pathogens2
Out of the >4.6 Million Patient Admissions in the U.S., >300,000 are cancer patients2
Bacteria that is highly resistant to the strongest antibiotics are more likely to be found in cancer vs. non-cancer patients2
One study found significantly higher rates of AMR in the cancer group compared to the non-cancer group across most bacteria sample types2
Outpatient Findings and Actions We Can Take
Understanding how AMR impacts modern medicine requires more research. Here are ways you can help take action today:
Findings in the outpatient setting
AMR rates among key pathogens were 1 to 3 times higher overall in cancer patients, with some specific pathogen-source combinations such as vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDR-PA) more than 5 times greater for cancer patients in outpatient settings compared to patients without cancer.
The links between AMR & Cancer
AMR is undermining modern medicine and putting vulnerable patient populations at risk.
Learn more about Cancer & AMR
Watch a video about Cancer and AMR from the Union of International Cancer Control (UICC).
For the Media
AMR is a complex story. As journalists and other members of the media, you are essential to conveying the threat it poses to cancer patients and modern medicine at large.
Turning Knowledge Into Action
Antibiotics are a critical tool in cancer care. It’s important to make sure clinicians today can still prevent and treat drug-resistant infections while new antibiotics are being developed.
- Policymakers should make necessary reforms to ensure better treatments and diagnostics are available in the future
- Healthcare professionals should improve the use of diagnostics and antibiotics through stewardship and infection prevention efforts
- The cancer community can advocate for a reduction in AMR rates and for better access to antibiotics
Contact us to learn more and work with consortium
Learn more about Cancer & AMR
Tune into the Cancer and AMR podcasts
References
- https://www.baltimoresun.com/opinion/op-ed/bs-ed-op-0913-superbugs-cancer-moonshot-20220912-dnpv3oji4fa4zncap7nyaimjmu-story.html, accessed 11/20/2023
Gupta V, Satlin MJ, Yu K, Martei YM, Sung L, Westblade LF, Howard SC, Ai C, Flayhart DC. Burden of Antimicrobial Resistance in Adult Hospitalized Patients With Cancer: A Multicenter Analysis. Cancer Med. 2024 Dec;13(24):e70495. doi: 10.1002/cam4.70495. PMID: 39673173; PMCID: PMC11645461.
Incidence and prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in outpatients with cancer: a multicentre retrospective cohort study,” Vikas Gupta, Michael J. Satlin, Kalvin Yu, Yehoda M. Martei, Lillian Sung, Lars F. Westblade, Scott C. Howard, ChinEn Ai, Diane C. Flayhart, The Lancet Oncology, online April 30, 2025