Opportunities to Enhance Cancer Research through Advocate-Researcher Partnerships.

People who have experienced cancer are integral partners in the research process and improving standard-of-care treatments. Advocates contribute insights from lived experience that help researchers identify impactful scientific priorities, improve study design, and enhance clinical trial participation. Although programs have been established to connect scientists and advocates to enhance discovery, translational, and clinical research, challenges remain that hinder engagement and sustained partnerships. In this article, we describe prevalent barriers and provide suggestions to improve bidirectional communication and collaboration, as strengthening researcher-advocate partnerships promotes impactful, inclusive, and patient-centered cancer research.