Can you name the first NCI-designated cancer centers?
The answer to this question is anything but straightforward—in part because the contenders predate NCI’s definition of a “cancer center” (The Cancer Letter, July 9, 2021).
Four institutions, all contributors to the Cancer History Project, hold the “first” of the following designations:
- First cancer treatment hospital: The New York Cancer Hospital (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center), 1884
- First cancer research center: New York State Pathological Laboratory (Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center), 1898
- First cancer center to receive a core grant: The Institute for Cancer Research (Fox Chase Cancer Center), 1961
- First NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center: Unclear, 1972 (Roswell Park, MSK, or MD Anderson Cancer Center)
Contributor spotlight: Fox Chase Cancer Center
- Spotlight: Fox Chase Cancer Center Born of Merger
By Fox Chase Cancer Center | Nov. 21, 2022
Just 40 years ago, the Fox Chase Cancer Center of today—a place known for providing top-level patient care and conducting cutting-edge research—was merely an idea. As Fox Chase transitions into its role as a member of Temple University Health System, it’s worth remembering that the center was formed by a similar integration not so long ago.
The concept of the comprehensive cancer center—a facility where treatment and research are united under one roof—came into being when President Richard Nixon signed the National Cancer Act in 1971. Widely known as the launch of the “War on Cancer,” the act included funding for a series of such centers.
At the time, prominent cancer research institutions the country over, including Philadelphia’s own Institute for Cancer Research, began to scout for suitable clinical partners. Once merged with a hospital, they would be eligible to receive federal funds.
For the Institute for Cancer Research, the natural choice for a collaborator was the American Oncologic Hospital—one of the oldest cancer hospitals in the country, having been founded in 1904. After decades of struggling to find larger quarters, the organization had moved to the Fox Chase section of northeast Philadelphia—right next to the institute—in 1968.
Then vs. Now: Panel Discussions
- Nixon National Cancer Conference – Panelists and Keynote by Dr. Ned Sharpless
By Richard Nixon Foundation | Dec. 15, 2021
Last December, leaders in oncology gathered to commemorate the 1971 signing of the National Cancer Act at the Nixon National Conference.
A full recording of the conference appears here.
The second annual conference will be held Dec. 7-8 at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum.
Clinicians, researchers, journalists, NCI-designated cancer center directors, patients, patient advocates, ethicists, medical professionals and public health officials will convene at the 2022 Nixon National Cancer Conference, a two-day gathering focusing on areas where cancer is leading the solution to patient problems.
The 2022 Nixon National Cancer Conference will open with a reception and dinner sponsored by City of Hope Orange County on Dec. 7 at 5:30 p.m. PST followed by panel discussions and a luncheon sponsored by the Hoag Family Cancer Institute on Dec. 8, at 9:00 a.m. PST.
- The three comprehensive cancer centers that set the model for a nation
By Cancer History Project | Aug. 6, 2021
On July 29, 2021, the Cancer History Project convened panelists Candace S. Johnson, president and CEO of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Craig B. Thompson, president and CEO of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Peter WT Pisters, president of MD Anderson Cancer Center, for a two hour Zoom session moderated by co-editor Otis W. Brawley.
The panelists discussed oncology’s history, beginning with the National Cancer Act, and mapped out a more equitable future for oncology.
Now, the Cancer History Project has reformatted the panel into a podcast.
A collection of panels convened by the Cancer History Project appears here.
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, or follow our podcast.
Is your institution a contributor to the Cancer History Project? Eligible institutions include cancer centers, advocacy groups, professional societies, pharmaceutical companies, and key organizations in oncology.
To apply to become a contributor, please contact admin@cancerhistoryproject.com.
