'Optimistic' Biden recommits to cancer cure hunt

US President Joe Biden is "optimistic" that progress can be made in the battle against cancer, convening a meeting in the Oval Office with a group of bipartisan House and Senate members to push for more action.

Speaking to reporters as the meeting began, Biden said he believed "we're on the cusp of some real breakthroughs across the board on cancer."

Biden headed the Obama administration effort to accelerate a cancer cure in tribute to his son Beau, who died of the disease in 2015.