The battle over which institution gets to call itself the first U.S. cancer center is extremely complex—in part because the contenders predate NCI’s definition of a “cancer center.”
As far as the Cancer History Project can tell, four institutions can claim the bragging rights: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Fox Chase Cancer Center, and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Do you believe your institution is missing from this list? Contact admin@cancerhistoryproject.com.
This timeline was assembled with help from contributions to the Cancer History Project by Fox Chase, Roswell Park, and NCI.
Here’s what we know:
1887: Memorial Sloan Kettering (founded in 1884) opens its doors as the New York Cancer Hospital, “the first institution in the United States devoted exclusively to the treatment of cancer.” The New York Cancer Hospital was primarily a treatment facility, in a time when “treatment” meant palliative care.
However, the hospital did engage in some research: William B. Coley, named attending in 1893, was conducting research on patients at least as early as 1891, and is considered by some “the model for the present-day clinician-scientist.”
MSK brands itself as “the world’s oldest and largest private cancer center.”
The New York Cancer Hospital, which opened in 1887, used a central duct for ventilation, and circular wards to prevent dirt and germs from accumulating in corners.
1898: Roswell Park, which brands itself as “the world’s first cancer research center,” was founded as the New York State Pathological Laboratory of the University of Buffalo. Roswell Park has focused on cancer research since inception.
1904: American Oncologic Hospital, one of the institutions that later merged to become Fox Chase Cancer Center, is established in Philadelphia, and opens January 1905.
Its charter calls it “a hospital for the study of the cause, treatment, and prevention of cancer and other tumors, and the dissemination of knowledge on these subjects; for the treatment and care of persons affected with cancer … benefits shall be administered without regard to race, creed or color.”
1937: National Cancer Act of 1937, creating the National Cancer Institute. Grants-in-aid discussed in this bill are limited to “research projects,” and while cancer treatment centers came up in committee (“The committee definitely feels that there are not enough diagnostic and treatment centers in the U.S. where patients may obtain adequate treatment”), no mention is made in the bill itself.
1941: MD Anderson is founded as part of The University of Texas System.
1944: The Public Health Service Act incorporates NCI as a division of NIH, and “provides authority to make grants-in-aid to research institutions of any disease—in the same way the National Cancer Act of 1937 provides for cancer research.” NCI is now authorized to award grants for construction, alteration, and renovation of basic research laboratory facilities.
1960: The NIH Task Force on Categorial Research Centers recommends that NCI begin to provide grants to interdisciplinary centers, citing MSK, MD Anderson, Roswell Park, and NIH’s own clinical center as examples.
1961: NIH establishes three new grants: Cancer Research Facilities Grant (CRFG), the Program Project Grants (PPG), and the Cancer Clinical Research Center Grant (CCRCG). The Cancer Centers Program is established.
1963: A 1989 timeline states that “the first Cancer Center Support Grant or ‘core’ grant was awarded to the Institute for Cancer Research in Philadelphia.” The Institute for Cancer Research—along with the American Oncologic Hospital—later formed Fox Chase Cancer Center. If true, this would make Fox Chase the first NCI-supported cancer center.
1971: The National Cancer Act of 1971 formally establishes the definition of a “cancer center,” with Roswell Park, MD Anderson, and MSK as the first three to achieve comprehensive designation in 1972. No document has been located so far identifying which received this designation first.
So, who came first? Here are our best guesses:
- First cancer treatment hospital: The New York Cancer Hospital (MSK), 1884
- First cancer research center: New York State Pathological Laboratory (Roswell Park), 1898
- First cancer center to receive a core grant: The Institute for Cancer Research (Fox Chase), 1961
- First NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center: Unclear, 1972 (Roswell Park, MSK, or MD Anderson)
A free virtual panel discussion with directors of the first three NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers will take place on July 29 at 5:30 p.m., ET. Register to attend.
References:
- Cancer Research Institute. “Immunotherapy Fact of the Day #2.” https://www.cancerresearch.org/join-the-cause/cancer-immunotherapy-month/30-facts/02.
- Institute of Medicine. “A Stronger Cancer Centers Program, Chronology of the cancer centers program.” Cancer History Project, 1989, https://cancerhistoryproject.com/primary-source/chronology-of-the-cancer-centers-program/.
- McCarthy, Edward F. “The Toxins of William B. Coley and the Treatment of Bone and Soft-Tissue Sarcomas.” The Iowa Orthopaedic Journal, 2006, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1888599/.
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. “Historical Timeline.” https://www.mskcc.org/about/history-milestones/historical-timeline.
- National Cancer Institute. “Legislative History Timeline.” https://www.cancer.gov/about-nci/overview/history/legislative-timeline.
- National Cancer Institute. “National Cancer Act of 1937.” https://www.cancer.gov/about-nci/overview/history/national-cancer-act-1937.
- National Cancer Institute. “Public Health Service Act.” https://www.cancer.gov/about-nci/overview/history/public-health-service-act.
- “Public Health Service Act, 1944.” Public Health Reports, vol. 109, no. 4, 1994, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1403520/.
- Rauscher, Frank J. “Cancer Program Is Well Underway.” 1975. https://cancerhistoryproject.com/primary-source/cancer-program-is-well-underway/.
- Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. “Imagining Roswell Park, the world’s first cancer research center.” Cancer History Project, https://cancerhistoryproject.com/institutions/imagining-the-worlds-first-cancer-research-center/.
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. “Institutional Profile.” https://www.mdanderson.org/about-md-anderson/facts-history/institutional-profile.html.
Recent contributions
Rob Krigel: Oncologist Turned Patient
By Fox Chase Cancer Center | July 8, 2021
Robert ‘Bob’ Perry: A Scientist Ahead of His Time
By Fox Chase Cancer Center | July 8, 2021
A Brief History of Fox Chase Cancer Center’s Scientific and Medical Achievements
By Fox Chase Cancer Center | July 6, 2021
7/12/2021: This article has been corrected to reflect that these are the first U.S. cancer centers. The Royal Marsden was founded in 1851 in London. Additionally, an earlier version of this article stated that the first three NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers received their designation in 1971. Senate Bill 1828—the National Cancer Act of 1971—was signed into law on December 23, 1971. No center would have received this designation until at least 1972.
This column features the latest posts to the Cancer History Project by our growing list of contributors.
The Cancer History Project is a free, web-based, collaborative resource intended to mark the 50th anniversary of the National Cancer Act and designed to continue in perpetuity. The objective is to assemble a robust collection of historical documents and make them freely available.
Access to the Cancer History Project is open to the public at CancerHistoryProject.com. You can also follow us on Twitter at @CancerHistProj.
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To apply to become a contributor, please contact admin@cancerhistoryproject.com.
