Esophageal Cancer Action Network

Name

Esophageal Cancer Action Network

Legal name

Esophageal Cancer Action Network Inc.

Website

https://ecan.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Stevenson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: ECAN operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The primary revenue stream is donations from individuals, corporate sponsors, and fundraising events such as Steps to Save Lives 5K runs, Dance for the Cure, Paint Your Town Periwinkle events, and Fight Club monthly giving program.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Esophageal Cancer Action Network (ECAN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free patient education, advocacy, and support services for individuals affected by esophageal cancer, Barrett's Esophagus, and GERD. Its core offerings include the ECAN Patient Guide, an AI-driven nutrition assistant (Ina), a free clinical trial matching service, an online peer support community, expert-led webinars, and grassroots awareness event programs. The organization also leads federal advocacy efforts to increase research funding for esophageal cancer.

Product overview

ECAN operates as a patient advocacy and education organization offering a unified suite of resources and services focused on esophageal cancer awareness, early detection, and patient support. The portfolio includes educational materials (Patient Guide, Webinar Series), digital support tools (Intelligent Nutrition Assistant Ina, Smart Patients Community), clinical services (Clinical Trial Matching Program), and community engagement programs (Event-in-a-Box, Steps to Save Lives 5K, Stacy's Army, Fight Club). These offerings work together to provide comprehensive support from diagnosis through survivorship while driving advocacy for increased research funding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Stacy's Army: Advocacy program for esophageal cancer patients, caregivers, and those affected by EC or Barrett's Esophagus to take action to save lives
• Paint Your Town Periwinkle
• Steps to Save Lives 5K
• Fight Club
• ECAN Webinars
• Ina (Intelligent Nutrition Assistant)

Products and services

• ECAN Patient Guide Free comprehensive patient education resource covering symptoms, risk factors, prevention, detection, and treatment options for reflux disease (GERD), Barrett's Esophagus, and esophageal cancer. Created with input from over 100 physicians and available in English and Spanish. For patients, caregivers, and clinicians.
• Intelligent Nutrition Assistant (Ina) Free AI-powered nutrition chatbot accessible 24/7 via SMS text, providing personalized nutrition guidance, symptom management tips, and recipes for esophageal cancer patients and caregivers. Delivered through Savor Health's HIPAA-compliant platform with oncology-credentialed dietitians, nurses, and doctors.
• Stuart Weissman Clinical Trial Matching Program Free personalized clinical trial matching service powered by Massive Bio's SYNERGY-AI technology, screening over 14,000 active global clinical trials to match esophageal cancer patients with eligible studies based on their medical profiles. Delivers matching reports within 24-48 hours with ongoing support throughout enrollment.
• ECAN Webinar Series Free educational webinar series featuring world-renowned esophageal cancer experts discussing latest treatments, research, clinical trials, detection methods, nutrition, and survivorship topics. Includes recordings of expert interviews, patient stories, and medical research presentations from institutions including MGH, Northwestern, MUSC, and UNC.
• ECAN Smart Patients Support Community Free online peer support community in partnership with Smart Patients for patients and caregivers dealing with reflux disease (GERD/LPR), Barrett's Esophagus, or esophageal cancer. Features moderated forums, searchable conversations, health profiles, private messaging, and topic-specific sub-groups.
• Event-in-a-Box DIY awareness event toolkit enabling supporters to host esophageal cancer awareness events in their communities. Includes posters, patient guides, wristbands, and balloons, with optional items like banners, t-shirts, and table runners. Available through the Buy Periwinkle store with shipping included.
• ECAN Steps to Save Lives 5K Nationwide virtual and in-person chip-timed 5K run/walk/roll events raising awareness and funds for esophageal cancer research. Family-friendly events with professional photography, medals, awards, and prizes for top fundraisers.
• ECAN Text-a-Day April Program Free daily text message service during Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month (April) providing shareable life-saving information that subscribers can distribute through social media and email to amplify awareness.
• ECAN Fight Club Monthly Giving Program Monthly recurring donation program funding ECAN's advocacy, awareness campaigns, and patient support initiatives. Sustaining contributions support esophageal cancer research funding advocacy and education efforts.
• Stacy's Army Advocacy Program Advocacy volunteer program for esophageal cancer patients, caregivers, and those with Barrett's Esophagus. Provides training, resources, and organized campaigns for awareness and research advocacy efforts.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Massive BiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 July 2023ECAN partnered with Massive Bio to provide a free, AI-driven personalized clinical trial matching service for esophageal cancer patients. Massive Bio's SYNERGY-AI technology screens over 14,000 active clinical trials globally and delivers a matching report within 24-48 hours. The service is free to patients and includes ongoing support throughout the enrollment process. The partnership specifically addresses the challenge that 75% of cancer patients are never told about clinical trial opportunities by their doctors.
• Savor Health (Ina)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECAN partnered with Savor Health to bring the Intelligent Nutrition Assistant Ina® to esophageal cancer patients and caregivers. Ina® delivers personalized, evidence-based nutrition guidance via SMS text 24/7. The service is free, HIPAA-compliant, and provides advice from oncology-credentialed registered dietitians, nurses, and doctors. This addresses the critical need for nutritional support during and after cancer treatment.
• Smart PatientscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECAN partnered with Smart Patients to provide an online peer support community for patients and caregivers dealing with reflux disease (GERD/LPR), Barrett's Esophagus, or esophageal cancer. The community is monitored and moderated, allows members to create health profiles, and provides practical information from real-world patient and caregiver experiences. The community includes a glossary of medical terms and the ability to join topic-specific sub-groups.
• Target Cancer Foundation (TRACK Program)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerECAN refers esophageal cancer patients to the Target Cancer Foundation's TRACK program, which provides free comprehensive genomic profiling for rare cancer patients. TRACK allows patients to enroll from home and receive personalized, actionable genomic information along with recommendations for on-label, off-label, or clinical trial options. ECAN hosted a webinar with Target Cancer's Executive Director Jim Palma to educate patients about the program.
• Merck (MSD)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMerck (known as MSD outside the US) is a sponsor of ECAN's webinar series. Merck is recognized for its oncology products including Keytruda (pembrolizumab), which has received FDA approvals for esophageal cancer. ECAN acknowledges Merck as a generous sponsor making the webinar series possible.
• Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBristol-Myers Squibb sponsors ECAN's webinar series. BMS has FDA-approved immunotherapy products for gastroesophageal cancers including Opdivo (nivolumab). BMS also contributed a webinar providing information on patient assistance programs, insurance coverage support, and resources for uninsured patients.
• BeiGeneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBeiGene is a sponsor of ECAN's webinar series. BeiGene develops oncology medicines including tislelizumab, a PD-1 inhibitor approved in China and under review elsewhere for gastroesophageal cancers.
• Tissue CypherminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTissue Cypher is a sponsor of ECAN's webinar series and Patient Guide update. Tissue Cypher develops predictive diagnostic tests for Barrett's Esophagus.
• Astellas PharmaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAstellas Pharma is a sponsor of ECAN's webinar series. Astellas received FDA approval for zolbetuximab (Vyloy), a targeted therapy for CLDN18.2-positive advanced gastric and GE junction adenocarcinoma.
• Lucid Diagnostics (EsoGuard)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLucid Diagnostics is a sponsor of ECAN's webinar series. Lucid developed the EsoGuard DNA test and EsoCheck device for detecting Barrett's Esophagus without endoscopy. ECAN has featured EsoGuard in awareness and educational content about early detection.
• Castle BiosciencesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCastle Biosciences is a sponsor of ECAN's April Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month activities. Castle developed TissueCypher, a predictive test for Barrett's Esophagus. The sponsorship supports ECAM awareness efforts including a corporate sponsor video and patient testimonial videos.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• National Organization for Rare Disorders: NORD is a rare-disease umbrella advocacy organization providing policy, research, and patient services across 7,000+ rare conditions. It is comparable to ECAN as a peer advocacy structure in the rare-disease space and a potential coalition partner on esophageal cancer policy.

Direct peers

• Stupid Cancer: Stupid Cancer is a young-adult cancer advocacy nonprofit providing digital peer-support communities, educational content, and policy advocacy. Comparable to ECAN in its online community, expert-led webinars, and grassroots advocacy model.
• Pancreatic Cancer Action Network: PanCAN is a leading disease-specific cancer advocacy nonprofit that drives research funding, patient services, and federal policy for pancreatic cancer. It is highly comparable to ECAN in operating model (single-disease focus, federal advocacy, patient services, community events).
• Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation: The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation is a small disease-specific cancer advocacy nonprofit with research funding, patient education, and an active annual conference. It mirrors ECAN's lean team and high-impact advocacy model in a rare GI cancer.
• LUNGevity Foundation: LUNGevity is a disease-specific lung cancer advocacy and research nonprofit offering patient education, support communities, and federal advocacy. Like ECAN, it pairs medical-expert-led content with community events and policy work in a high-mortality cancer.
• Debbie's Dream Foundation: Debbie's Dream is a stomach cancer advocacy nonprofit that funds research, runs awareness campaigns, and supports patients. It is highly comparable to ECAN given the clinical and anatomical overlap between esophageal and gastric/GE-junction cancers and the shared pharma sponsor pool.
• Fight Colorectal Cancer: Fight CRC is a GI-cancer patient advocacy nonprofit focused on colorectal cancer research, awareness, and policy. It is directly comparable to ECAN as a peer GI-cancer advocacy organization with similar awareness month, advocacy, and patient-support programs.
• Head and Neck Cancer Alliance: HNCA runs awareness, screening, and patient-support programs for head and neck cancers. It is comparable to ECAN as a disease-specific cancer advocacy nonprofit with awareness month programming, educational guides, and physician-network content.

Broad incumbents

• American Cancer Society: ACS is the largest broad-incumbent cancer nonprofit in the US, running research funding, patient support (including a 24/7 hotline), and federal advocacy across all cancer types. It is comparable to ECAN as a competing donor choice and policy voice in the cancer advocacy space.
• Cancer Support Community: CSC operates a global network of cancer support centers and digital education, comparable to ECAN's patient education and community offerings, but across all cancers rather than a single disease.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ECActionNetwork

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Esophageal Cancer Action Network