What is an NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center

The Abramson Cancer Center has been designated a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) since 1973, one of only 40 such centers in the country.

But what does it mean to be an NCI-designated cancer center?

Comprehensive Care in a Comprehensive Cancer Center

The NCI recognizes cancer centers around the country that meet rigorous criteria for world-class, state-of-the-art programs in multidisciplinary cancer research.

The NCI supports cancer centers that have dedicated significant resources into developing research programs, faculty, and facilities that will lead to better approaches to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer.

Cancer Research at the Abramson Cancer Center

The Abramson Cancer Center supports 11 research programs that bring together investigators from 41 departments and 8 University schools with a shared interest in specific types of cancer (e.g., breast cancer) or scientific themes (e.g., tumor biology). Many programs span multiple research disciplines (e.g., fundamental and translational).

Areas of Research at the Abramson Cancer Center Include:

• Translational research, in which scientists translate discoveries from research laboratories into new treatments that benefit cancer patients.
• Breast cancer, spanning the identification of genetic risk and innovative diagnostic modalities that will lead to earlier diagnosis to basic science understanding of breast cancer development in order to create earlier interventions.
• Melanoma, focusing on the identification of familial risk and epidemiologic factors to testing new treatment approaches.
• Hematologic malignancies/bone marrow transplantation, in which we are seeking ways to improve patient outcomes and develop new techniques.
• Innovative clinical trials (nearly 200 active trials ongoing).
• Tobacco research, in which scientists are examining several genes that may play a role in predisposing people to nicotine addiction.
• Developmental therapeutics, in which Penn researchers are identifying and testing the effectiveness of new drugs in preventing or treating cancer.
• Immunobiology, in which we are learning about how proteins function in order to design to innovative therapeutics to control immune reactions.

The NCI provides grant funding that accompanies the designation supports shared resources for research, provides developmental funds to advance scientific goals, and fosters cancer programs that draw investigators from different disciplines together.

Learn more about research programs at the Abramson Cancer Center. 

Learn more about institutes and centers at the Abramson Cancer Center.