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Date reviewed: 9/8/2004

The National Cancer Institute Cancer Centers Program

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Centers Program comprises more than 50 NCI-designated cancer centers engaged in multidisciplinary research to reduce cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortality. Through Cancer Center Support grants, this program supports three types of centers:

  • Comprehensive Cancer Centers conduct programs in all three areas of research—basic research, clinical research, and prevention and control research—as well as programs in community outreach and education;

  • Clinical Cancer Centers conduct programs in clinical research, and may also have programs in other research areas;

  • Cancer Centers (formerly called Basic Science Cancer Centers) focus on basic research or cancer control research, but do not have clinical oncology programs.

Several cancer centers existed in the late 1960s, but it was the National Cancer Act of 1971 that strengthened the program by authorizing the establishment of 15 new cancer centers and the continued support for existing ones. The passage of the Act also dramatically transformed the centers structure and broadened the scope of their mission to include all aspects of basic, clinical, and cancer control research. In 1990, there were 19 Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the Nation. Today, more than 40 cancer centers meet the NCI criteria for comprehensive status.

Each type of cancer center has special characteristics and capabilities for organizing new programs of research that can exploit important new findings and address timely research questions. All NCI-designated cancer centers are reevaluated each time their Cancer Center Support grant comes up for renewal (generally every 3 to 5 years).

To attain recognition from NCI as a Comprehensive Cancer Center, an institution must pass rigorous peer review. Under guidelines revised in 1997, a Comprehensive Cancer Center must perform research in three major areas: basic research; clinical research; and cancer prevention, control, and population-based research. It must also have a strong body of interactive research that bridges these research areas. In addition, a Comprehensive Cancer Center must conduct activities in outreach, education, and information provision, which are directed toward and accessible to both health care professionals and the lay community.

Clinical Cancer Centers have active programs in clinical research, and may also have programs in another area (such as basic research; or prevention, control, and population-based research). Clinical Cancer Centers focus on both laboratory research and clinical research within the same institutional framework. This interaction of research and clinical activities is a distinguishing characteristic of many Clinical Cancer Centers.

The general term Cancer Center refers to an organization with scientific disciplines outside the specific qualifications for a comprehensive or clinical center. Such centers may, for example, concentrate on basic research, epidemiology and cancer control research, or other areas of research.

Since the passage of the National Cancer Act of 1971, the Cancer Centers Program has continued to expand. Today NCI-designated cancer centers continue to work toward creating new and innovative approaches to cancer research. Through interdisciplinary efforts, cancer centers can effectively move this research from the laboratory into clinical trials and into clinical practice.

Patients seeking clinical oncology services (screening, diagnosis, or treatment) can obtain those services at Clinical Cancer Centers or Comprehensive Cancer Centers. They can also participate in clinical trials (research studies involving people) at these types of cancer centers. Most Cancer Centers are engaged almost entirely in basic research and do not provide patient care.

Below is a list of the NCI-designated cancer centers. Additional information about the Cancer Centers Program can be found on the Cancer Centers Branch Web site at http://www3.cancer.gov/cancercenters/ on the Internet.

Comprehensive* and Clinical** Cancer Centers Supported by NCI

Information about referral procedures, treatment costs, and services available to patients can be obtained from the individual cancer centers listed below.

ALABAMA University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center*
Address: 1824 Sixth Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35294–3300
Telephone: 205–975–8222
1–800–822–0933 (1–800–UAB–0933) 
Internet Web site: http://www3.ccc.uab.edu/ 
ARIZONA Arizona Cancer Center*
Address: The University of Arizona
1515 North Campbell Avenue
Post Office Box 245024
Tucson, AZ  85724
Telephone: 520–626–2900 (New Patient Registration Line)
1–800–622–2673 (1–800–622–COPE) 
Internet Web site: http://www.azcc.arizona.edu/
E-mail: copeline@azcc.arizona.edu
Mayo Clinic Cancer Center—Scottsdale*
Address: 13400 East Shea Boulevard
Scottsdale, AZ 85259
Telephone: 480–301–8484 (Appointment Office) 
CALIFORNIA Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center*
Address: University of California, Irvine
Building 23, Route 81
101 The City Drive
Orange, CA 92868
Telephone: 714–456–8200
Internet Web site: http://www.ucihs.uci.edu/cancer/ 
City of Hope*
Address: Cancer Center and Beckman Research Institute
1500 East Duarte Road
Duarte, CA 91010–3000
Telephone: 626–359–8111
1–800–826–4673 (1–800–826–HOPE)
Internet Web site: http://www.cityofhope.org/ 
E-mail: becomingapatient@coh.org  
Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCLA*
Address: 8–684 Factor Building
UCLA Box 951781
Los Angeles, CA 90095–1781
Telephone: 310–825–5268
Internet Web site: http://www.cancer.mednet.ucla.edu/ 
E-mail: jcccinfo@mednet.ucla.edu  
UC Davis Cancer Center**
Address: University of California, Davis
4501 X Street
Sacramento, CA 95817
Telephone: 1–800–362–5566 (Patient Referral)
916–734–5900
Internet Web site: http://cancer.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/ 
E-mail: cancer.center@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu  
University of California, San Diego Cancer Center*
Address: 9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla, CA 92093–0658
Telephone: 858–534–7600
Internet Web site: http://cancer.ucsd.edu 
University of California, San Francisco Comprehensive Cancer Center*
Address: Box 0128, UCSF
2340 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA 94143–0128
Telephone: 415–476–2201 (For general information)
1–800–888–8664 (Cancer referral line)
Internet Web site: http://cc.ucsf.edu/ 
E-mail: cceditor@cc.ucsf.edu 
USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Hospital*
Address: 1441 Eastlake Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90033–0804
Telephone: 323–865–3000
1–800–872–2273 (1–800–USC–CARE)
Internet Web site: http://ccnt.hsc.usc.edu/ 
E-mail: cainfo@ccnt.hsc.usc.edu (For general information) 
COLORADO University of Colorado Cancer Center*
Address: Box F–704
1665 North Ursula Street
Aurora, CO 80010
Telephone: 720–848–0300
1–800–473–2288 (Cancer referral line) 
Internet Web site: http://www.uccc.info/ 
CONNECTICUT Yale Cancer Center*
Address: Yale University School of Medicine
333 Cedar Street
Post Office Box 208028
New Haven, CT 06520–8028
Telephone: 203–785–4095 (Administrative Offices) 
Internet Web site: http://www.info.med.yale.edu/ycc/ 
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Lombardi Cancer Center*
Address: Georgetown University Medical Center
3800 Reservoir Road, NW.
Washington, DC 20007
Telephone: 202–444–4000
Internet Web site: http://lombardi.georgetown.edu/ 
FLORIDA H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute at the University of South Florida*
Address: 12902 Magnolia Drive
Tampa, FL 33612–9497
Telephone: 813–972–4673 (813–972–HOPE)  
Internet Web site: http://www.moffitt.usf.edu/ 
Mayo Clinic Cancer Center—Jacksonville*
Address: 4500 San Pablo Road
Jacksonville, FL 32224
Telephone: 904–953–2272
904–953–2300 (TTD hearing-impaired line)
HAWAII Cancer Research Center of Hawaii**
Address: 1236 Lauhala Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
Telephone: 808–586–3010 
Internet Web site: http://www.crch.org
ILLINOIS The Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center*
Address: Northwestern University
Olson Pavilion 8250
710 North Fairbanks Court 
Chicago, IL 60611–3013
Telephone: 312–908–5250
Internet Web site: http://www.lurie.nwu.edu/ 
E-mail: s-markman@northwestern.edu 
University of Chicago Cancer Research Center**
Address: Mail Code 9015
5758 South Maryland Avenue
Chicago, IL 60637–1470
Telephone: 773–702–9200
1–888–824–0200 (For new patients)
Internet Web site: http://www-uccrc.uchicago.edu/ 
E-mail: aholub@mcis.bsd.uchicago.edu 
INDIANA Indiana University Cancer Center**
Address: 535 Barnhill Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46202–5289
Telephone: 317–278–4822
1–888–600–4822
Internet Web site: http://iucc.iu.edu 
IOWA The Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at The University of Iowa*
Address: 5970–Z JPP
200 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA 52242–1009
Telephone: 1–800–777–8442 (Patient referral)
1–800–237–1225 (For general information)
Internet Web site:

 http://www.uihealthcare.com/depts
/cancercenter/ 
E-mail: Cancer-Center@uiowa.edu  
MARYLAND Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins*
Address: Weinberg Building
401 North Broadway
Baltimore, MD 21231–2410
Telephone: 410–955–8964 (Patient referral)
410–955–8804 (Clinical trials)
Internet Web site: http://www.hopkinskimmelcancercenter.org
MASSACHUSETTS Dana-Farber Cancer Institute*
Address: 44 Binney Street
Boston, MA 02115
Telephone: 617–632–3000 (Ask for patient information)
Internet Web site: http://www.dana-farber.org/ 
MICHIGAN Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute*
Operating the Meyer L. Prentis Comprehensive Cancer Center of Metropolitan Detroit
Address: Wertz Clinical Center
4100 John R Street
Detroit, MI 48201–1379
Telephone: 1–800–527–6266 (1–800–KARMANOS)
Internet Web site: http://www.karmanos.org/ 
E-mail: info@karmanos.org 
  University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center*
Address: 1500 East Medical Center Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Telephone: 1–800–865–1125
Internet Web site: http://www.cancer.med.umich.edu/ 
E-mail: wwwcancer@umich.edu 
MINNESOTA Mayo Clinic Cancer Center*
Address: 200 First Street, SW.
Rochester, MN 55905
Telephone: 507–284–2111 (Appointment Information Desk)
Internet Web site: http://www.mayoclinic.org/cancercenter/ 
University of Minnesota Cancer Center*
Address: Box 806 Mayo
420 Delaware Street, SE.
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Telephone: 612–624–8484
Internet Web site: http://www.cancer.umn.edu/ 
MISSOURI Siteman Cancer Center**
Address: Barnes-Jewish Hospital and 
Washington University School of Medicine
Box 8100
660 South Euclid
St. Louis, MO 63110–1093
Telephone: 314–747–7222
1–800–600–3606
Internet Web site: http://www.siteman.wustl.edu/ 
E-mail: info@ccadmin.wustl.edu   
NEBRASKA UNMC Eppley Cancer Center**
Address: University of Nebraska Medical Center
986805 Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, NE 68198–6805
Telephone: 402–559–4238
Internet Web site: http://www.unmc.edu/cancercenter/ 
NEW HAMPSHIRE Norris Cotton Cancer Center*
Address: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
One Medical Center Drive
Lebanon, NH 03756–0002
Telephone: 603–650–6300 (Administration)
1–800–639–6918 (Cancer Help Line)
Internet Web site: http://www.cancer.dartmouth.edu/index.shtml
E-mail: cancerhelp@dartmouth.edu
NEW JERSEY The Cancer Institute of New Jersey*
Address: Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
195 Little Albany Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Telephone: 732–235–2465 (732–235–CINJ)
Internet Web site: http://cinj.umdnj.edu 
NEW YORK Cancer Research Center**
Address: Albert Einstein College of Medicine
1300 Morris Park Avenue
Bronx, NY 10461
Telephone: 718–430–2302
Internet Web site: http://www.aecom.yu.edu/cancer 
E-mail: aeccc@aecom.yu.edu 
Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center*
Address: Columbia Presbyterian Center
New York-Presbyterian Hospital
PH 18, Room 200
622 West 168th Street
New York, NY 10032
Telephone: 1–877–697–9355 (1–877–NYP–WELL)
1–800–227–2762 (Physician Referral)
Internet Web site: http://www.ccc.columbia.edu/ 
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center*
Address: 1275 York Avenue
New York, NY 10021
Telephone: 1–800–525–2225
Internet Web site: http://www.mskcc.org/ 
NYU Cancer Institute**
Address: New York University Cancer Institute
550 First Avenue
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: 212–263–6485
Internet Web site: http://www.nyucancerinstitute.org 
Roswell Park Cancer Institute*
Address: Elm and Carlton Streets
Buffalo, NY 14263–0001
Telephone: 1–800–767–9355 (1–800–ROSWELL) 
Internet Web site: http://www.roswellpark.org/ 
NORTH CAROLINA Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest University*
Address: Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center
Medical Center Boulevard
Winston-Salem, NC 27157–1082
Telephone: 336–716–4464
Internet Web site: http://www1.wfubmc.edu/cancer 
Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center*
Address: Duke University Medical Center
Box 3843
301 MSRB
Durham, NC 27710
Telephone: 919–684–3377
Internet Web site: http://www.cancer.duke.edu 
  UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center*
Address: School of Medicine 
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Campus Box 7295
Chapel Hill, NC 27599–7295
Telephone: 919–966–3036
Internet Web site: http://cancer.med.unc.edu/ 
E-mail: dgs@med.unc.edu 
 OHIO Ireland Cancer Center*
Address: University Hospitals of Cleveland
11100 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44106–5065
Telephone: 216–844–5432
1–800–641–2422 
Internet Web site: http://www.irelandcancercenter.org 
E-mail: info@irelandcancercenter.org 
  The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center*
Address: The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute
Suite 519
300 West 10th Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210–1240
Telephone: 1–800–293–5066 (The James Line)
Internet Web site: http://www.jamesline.com 
E-mail: cancerinfo@jamesline.com 
OREGON OHSU Cancer Institute**
Address: The Oregon Health Sciences University Cancer Institute
CR145
3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road
Portland, OR 97239–3098
Telephone: 503–494–1617
Internet Web site: http://www.ohsucancer.com/  
PENNSYLVANIA Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania*
Address: 15th Floor, Penn Tower
3400 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104–4283
Telephone: 215–662–4000 (Main number)
1–800–789–7366 (Referral and to schedule an appointment) (1–800–789–PENN) 
Internet Web site: http://www.oncolink.upenn.edu/  
  Fox Chase Cancer Center*
Address: 7701 Burholme Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19111
Telephone: 215–728–2570 (To schedule an appointment)
1–888–369–2427 (1–888–FOX CHASE)
Internet Web site: http://www.fccc.edu/ 
E-mail: info@fccc.edu 
Kimmel Cancer Center**
Address: Thomas Jefferson University
Bluemle Life Sciences Building
233 South 10th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107–5541
Telephone: 215–503–4500
1–800–533–3669 (Jefferson Cancer Network)
(1–800–JEFF–NOW)
1–800–654–5984 (Jefferson Cancer Network toll-free number for deaf and hard of hearing callers)
Internet Web site: http://www.kcc.tju.edu/ 
University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute*
Address: Suite 206
Iroquois Building
3600 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213–3489
Telephone: 1–800–237–4724 (1–800–237–4PCI) 
Internet Web site: http://www.upci.upmc.edu/ 
E-mail: PCI-INFO@msx.upmc.edu 
TENNESSEE St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital**
Address: 332 North Lauderdale Street
Memphis, TN 38105–2794
Telephone: 901–495–3300
Internet Web site: http://www.stjude.org 
The Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center*
Address: Vanderbilt University
649 The Preston Building
Nashville, TN 37232–6838
Telephone: 615–936–1782
615–936–5847 or 1–800–811–8480 (Clinical trial or treatment option information)
1–888–488–4089 (All other calls)
Internet Web site: http://www.vicc.org/ 
TEXAS San Antonio Cancer Institute**
Address: 8122 Datapoint Drive
San Antonio, TX 78229–3264
Telephone: 210–616–5590
Internet Web site: http://saci.uthscsa.edu/ 
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center*
Address: 1515 Holcombe Boulevard
Houston, TX 77030
Telephone: 713–792–6161 
1–800–392–1611
Internet Web site: http://www.mdanderson.org/ 
 UTAH Huntsman Cancer Institute**
Address: University of Utah
2000 Circle of Hope
Salt Lake City, UT 84112
Telephone: 801–585–0303
1–877–585–0303
Internet Web site: http://www.hci.utah.edu/ 
VERMONT Vermont Cancer Center*
Address: University of Vermont
Medical Alumni Building
Burlington, VT 05401
Telephone: 802–656–4414
Internet Web site: http://www.vermontcancer.org 
E-mail: vcc@uvm.edu 
VIRGINIA Massey Cancer Center**
Address: Virginia Commonwealth University
401 College Street
Post Office Box 980037
Richmond, VA 23298–0037
Telephone: 804–828–0450
Internet Web site: http://www.vcu.edu/mcc/ 
  The Cancer Center at The University of Virginia** 
Address: University of Virginia Health System
Box 800334
Charlottesville, VA 22908
Telephone: 804–924–9333
1–800–223–9173
Internet Web site:

 http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet
/cancer/ 
 WASHINGTON Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center*
Address: LA–205
Post Office Box 19024
1100 Fairview Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98109–1024
Telephone: 206–288–1024 or 1–800–804–8824 (Appointments and medical referral—Seattle Cancer Care Alliance)
Internet Web site: http://www.fhcrc.org/ 
E-mail: hutchdoc@seattlecca.org (Patient information) 
 WISCONSIN University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center*
Address: 600 Highland Avenue, K5/601
Madison, WI 53792–6164
Telephone: 608–263–8600 
608–262–5223 (Cancer Connect)
1–800–622–8922 (Cancer Connect)
Internet Web site: http://www.cancer.wisc.edu 
E-mail: uwccc@uwcc.wisc.edu/ 


Cancer Centers Supported by the National Cancer Institute

    The Burnham Institute
    La Jolla, California

    The Salk Institute for Biological Studies
    La Jolla, California

    Purdue Cancer Center, Purdue University
    West Lafayette, Indiana

    The Jackson Laboratory
    Bar Harbor, Maine

    Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Cambridge, Massachusetts

    Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
    Cold Spring Harbor, New York

    Institute for Cancer Prevention
    New York, New York

    Wistar Institute
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

# # #

Related Resources

Publications (available at http://www.cancer.gov/publications)

National Cancer Institute (NCI) Resources

Cancer Information Service (toll-free)
Telephone: 1–800–4–CANCER (1–800–422–6237)
TTY: 1–800–332–8615
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