St. Jude receives NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center designation


St. Jude Comprehensive Cancer Center

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital recently received the prestigious recognition of being designated as a National Cancer Institute (NCI) Comprehensive Cancer Center. The designation makes St. Jude the first and only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center solely focused on pediatric cancer to receive this distinction.

“It is always gratifying to see one of the NCI-designated cancer centers achieve comprehensive status: recognition of excellence, not only in state of-the-art care and cancer research, but also in patient education, community outreach, and the dissemination of vital information to professionals and the public,” NCI Director John Niederhuber said. “These extra efforts to establish programs that reach out to surrounding communities and patients are the hallmarks of our comprehensive centers, which now number 41. This enhanced designation is a timely recognition of important contributions and advances made by the dedicated staff of St. Jude.” (May 16, 2008 Cancer Letter)

In addition to a proven track record and impact in laboratory, clinical and population-based cancer research, NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers must have significant efforts in professional and lay cancer education and provide notable community service and outreach. Of the many hundreds of institutions in the country that treat cancer patients, only 63 of them are NCI-designated Cancer Centers and receive funds from the NCI to support their infrastructure. Of these centers, only 41 have the Comprehensive designation.

“Being designated a Comprehensive Cancer Center is a prestigious accomplishment and to be the only pediatric center is an incomparable distinction for St. Jude,” says Dr. William E. Evans, St. Jude CEO. “St. Jude is well known for having innovative programs led by the best and the brightest faculty and staff; now being awarded ‘Comprehensive’ stature places an additional NCI imprimatur on St. Jude and further validates our position among the country’s leading cancer centers. This also speaks volumes about Dr. Kastan’s strong leadership as our Cancer Center Director.”

St. Jude has been a NCI-designated Cancer Center since 1977 and has been a worldwide leader in both basic and clinical cancer research. The St. Jude After Completion of Therapy (ACT) program, initiated in the mid 1980s, was the first step in adding population science to the St. Jude portfolio of research. In 2006, St. Jude  broadened its population science research with the addition of a new epidemiology and population research program headed by Les Robison, PhD and the establishment of a formal Cancer Prevention and Control Program. 

“It’s rewarding to see a designation of comprehensive to an institution that is exclusively focused on children,” said Greg Reaman, chairman of the Children’s Oncology Group and professor of Pediatrics at George Washington University and Children’s Hospital in Washington, D.C.  “They have a huge population of survivors that they alone have the resources and capability to bring back for follow-up studies, so they are to be congratulated—and envied, in that they are the only uniquely pediatric cancer center in the country,” Reaman said. (May 16, 2008 issue of The Cancer Letter)

The non-scientific requirements for Comprehensive status are education and community outreach, and St. Jude has a long history of significant efforts in both of these areas. St. Jude has a world-renowned International Outreach Program which has served as the center for many of these efforts, ranging from local to statewide to regional to international outreach.

Among the outreach and educational initiatives developed by St. Jude are two highly accessed Web-based programs, Cure4Kids and Oncopedia, which provide educational resources for both lay and medical communities and are used by individuals, nationally and worldwide. These sites are of particular importance to underprivileged regions. “Our International Outreach program, directed by Dr. Raul Ribeiro, is a wonderful example of how a medical institution can provide important services to local, national, and worldwide communities,” said Michael Kastan, MD, PhD, St. Jude Comprehensive Cancer Center Director. “In addition to the effective Web-based efforts, St. Jude has a long and successful track record of bringing modern medicine to less-advantaged countries through education of local health care providers and establishment of pediatric cancer clinics.”

Locally, St. Jude’s outreach efforts include programs in schools and hospitals. St. Jude also provides cancer education and community outreach throughout the region via its domestic affiliate hospitals located in Huntsville, AL; Johnson City, TN; Baton Rouge, LA; Shreveport, LA and Peoria, Ill.

“While maintaining significant activities in education and community service, St. Jude will continue its major efforts in both basic laboratory research and clinical investigation to better understand the biology of cancer and develop novel treatment approaches,” said Kastan. “These insights can impact both pediatric and adult cancers. “

The St. Jude Comprehensive Cancer Center will continue to enhance its efforts in epidemiology and population research, with particular interests in understanding the late medical and psychosocial effects of successfully treating childhood cancer, according to Kastan.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Founded by late entertainer Danny Thomas and based in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. No family ever pays for treatments not covered by insurance, and families without insurance are never asked to pay. St. Jude is financially supported by ALSAC, its fundraising organization.

May 2008

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