Cancer Research Fund Act of 1997

Cancer Research Fund Act of 1997 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish in the Treasury the Cancer Research Trust Fund (hereafter referred to as the "Fund") consisting of such amounts as are credited or paid to the Fund as provided for under the Internal Revenue Code (as amended by this Act) and any interest earned on investment of amounts in the Fund.

Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to annually make available such sums as are available in the Fund (including any amounts not obligated in previous fiscal years) to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the conduct of biomedical, intramural, and extramural research. Prohibits an expenditure from being made during any fiscal year in which the annual amount appropriated for NIH is less than the amount so appropriated for the prior fiscal year.

Authorizes the NIH Director to distribute amounts made available among the various research institutes and centers to conduct research that the Director determines is appropriate. Requires the Director to make awards from such amounts available for research on cancer.

Requires amounts provided to an institute or center to be used to supplement and not supplant other research conducted with Federal funds.

(Sec. 3) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow every individual (other than a nonresident alien) to: (1) designate that a portion (not less than one dollar) of any overpayment of tax; and (2) provide that a cash contribution (not less than one dollar), be paid over to the Cancer Research Trust Fund in accordance with the Public Health Service Act. Allows each spouse, in the case of a joint return, to designate one-half of any such overpayment of tax (not less than two dollars).