JOHN YANG: For decades, the National Cancer Institute, or NCI, has spearheaded breakthrough advancements against the disease.

Since the 1990s, cancer deaths have been reduced by a third.

But now the world's premier cancer institute is in the midst of a fierce battle over its future.

William Brangham spoke with Rachana Pradhan of KFF Health News.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Rachana Pradhan, thank you so much for being here.

Can you help us understand the scale of the cuts that are being made at the National Cancer Institute and are they falling in particular areas or regions of that institute?

RACHANA PRADHAN, KFF Health News: Based on what we have heard from scientists who are currently still at NCI and ones who have left, is that the cuts and the upheaval overall that is happening to this agency are unprecedented.

They have never seen anything like it.

There are people who are leaving and also being cut that work on various aspects of cancer research and communication.

And the second thing is research money is being cut at NCI and across the board at the NIH.

So what you're seeing is very rapid escalation in the amount of money that is being trimmed for studying all sorts of interventions, right, to reduce cancer mortality and morbidity in this country.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: How does the Trump administration explain that?

Because it seems like funding cancer research and cures for cancer seems like a no brainer in any administration.

RACHANA PRADHAN: The Trump administration, in response to our story, they actually said that it was misleading and it's a biased narrative and that they are essentially refocusing the National Cancer Institute's work and it represents a necessary transformation and that the Department of Health and Human Services, which is where NCI ultimately sits, still values and plans to prioritize research into cancer and other health conditions.

And so that is what they are saying, essentially it's necessary and under the administration's policies and to sort of realign what NCI is doing.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: And from talking to researchers and clinicians within the NCI, what have they said to you about what the impact of these cuts has been?

RACHANA PRADHAN: They say that it is harming research severely.

We had one scientist saying that people will die because there are life-saving efforts that are being curtailed at this moment.

I think the other thing that's really important to underscore is so many people we talk to inside the government and even outside the government said it is inexplicable why this is being done.

They don't understand the aim, the objective, because we have seen so much progress in the fight against cancer in this country and around the world.

But that being said, it is still the nation's second leading cause of death.

Only heart disease surpasses it.

Right.

In 2023, which is the most recent data, we have over 600,000 people in the U.S. died from cancer, and we still have millions of people that are diagnosed with it every year.

And so there's clearly still a lot of work to be done.

And NCI has contributed an almost immeasurable amount toward reducing cancer deaths in this country.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Does this also impact current cases, people who are living with cancer now being treated for their cancer today?

RACHANA PRADHAN: I think it does, as part of widespread firings that HHS carried out earlier this year across the department and many important agencies.

Among the people who lost their jobs were most of the workers inside of NCI's communications office.

Those workers were responsible for disseminating really important health information.

And that includes information that is found on cancer.gov, which is a website that is used widely in this country by cancer patients and their families and also updating resources that physicians and other clinicians who care for cancer patients rely on with the latest research about a particular disease or particular type of malignancy.

And so the fact that those resources are not being updated because most of the workers were fired will have an immediate impact on cancer patients who are looking for information about treatments and research to help inform their care.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM : All right, this is some really hard to read reporting.

Rachana Pradhan of KFF Health News, thank you so much for being here.

RACHANA PRADHAN: Thank you for having me.