In December of 1971, Duke Comprehensive cancer Center became one of the nation’s first cancer centers as a result of the National Cancer Act. Under this Act, Congress authorized the funding for 15 more hospitals nationwide (four were already in existence) and provided funding to establish programs in cancer research and cures.
One of the signers of the National Cancer Act, Dr. William Shingleton, is also Duke cancer Center‘s founding director, a position he retained until 1987. In 1973, Duke cancer Center was designated a Comprehensive cancer Center (CCC) by the National Cancer Institute, or NCI, making it one of only 41 such centers nationwide.
A CCC designation is awarded to only those institutions offering advanced cancer research and treatment services. These cancer services are a direct result of the National Cancer Act of 1971, directed at addressing the need for comprehensive cancer services and up-to-date research initiatives. These National Cancer Institute-designated facilities undergo comprehensive reviews to ensure continued compliance with federally established standards for cancer patient care and research.
At Duke, more than 350 physicians, scientists and researchers explore all the aspects of cancer biology and treatment, delivering cancer cures to patients in 62 dedicated medical oncology beds, 16 adult bone marrow transplant beds, and 28 gynecological cancer beds. In addition, Duke cancer Center‘s 125 oncology surgery beds offers hope of earlier cures and longer remission times thanks to Duke‘s cutting-edge approach to research and treatment.
Serving 9,183 patients per year on an inpatient basis, and another 183,000 outpatients with a staff of 125 medical and surgical oncologists assisted by nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists, social workers, activities therapists and pharmacists, Duke cancer Center conducts a minimum of 250 yearly clinical trials on new cancer therapies. Working together to create and deliver individualized treatment protocols for each patient, cancer Center staff provide psychosocial and educational support and assistance to cancer sufferers and their families through a series of peripheral support programs provided by staff and volunteers.
Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke cancer Center ranks among the nation’s top ten centers for cancer care, according to U.S. News & World Report, and is the premier cancer center in the South. Duke cancer Center is particularly focused on:
- Brain tumors (through the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center)
- Breast and ovarian oncology
- Adult and pediatric stem cell transplantation (including bone marrow and cord blood transplantation)
- Thoracic oncology (esophageal and lung cancer)
- Melanoma, and
- Experimental therapeutics including hyperthermia and cancer vaccines
Duke cancer Center‘s outreach program is accomplished through the Duke Oncology Network, a consortium of affiliated practices throughout the southeast. Its Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology (Duke University Medical Center) provides a comprehensive platform for treating children, adolescents, and young adults. Patients can participate in both national and Duke-led clinical research studies testing new treatments, and Duke cancer Center is recognized for its unique expertise is offering cancer treatment approaches in the area of stem cell research (bone marrow and cord blood) transplantation. These protocols offer new hope for sickle cell disease, auto-immune blood disorders, myelodysplastic syndromes, inherited blood diseases, hemangiomas and vascular malformations, and provide ongoing, lifetime support for survivors of childhood cancer.
The Hereditary Cancer Clinic at Duke Comprehensive cancer Center, a member of the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Genetics Network, provides cancer risk assessment and education to cancer patients, people with a family history of cancer, and other members of the public at greater risk of cancer. The Center’s board-certified genetic counselor works with medical oncologists and staff to educate these high-risk individuals about the benefits of early detection, risk reduction through dietary and lifestyle changes, and genetic testing. Research programs aimed at identifying genetic factors that contribute to cancer benefit both participants and the public at large by expanding the knowledge about, and future prevention of, certain types of familial cancer.
Duke Comprehensive cancer Center is a matrix center; that is, it draws on a depth and breadth of basic scientific research and clinical expertise across all affiliated entities, most notably Duke University Medical Center. The formal structure of the cancer Center is aligned by:
- 11 established research programs (divided into basic, translational, and clinical research programs)
- 16 Shared Resources
- 22 member Executive Committee
- Protocol Review and Monitoring System
Duke cancer Center‘s multidisciplinary clinics focus on:
- Breast Oncology
- Neuro Oncology
- Gynecologic Oncology
- Thoracic Oncology
- Melanoma
- GI Oncology
- Lymphoma and Leukemia
- Esophageal
- Prostate Cancer
- Adult Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant
- Head and Neck
- Bone and Soft Tissue
Duke Comprehensive cancer Center also has a Long-Term Cancers Survivors Program, which focuses on the 70-percent of all children and young adults in permanent remission. The program allows survivors to participate in new treatment modalities, which have supplanted older and potentially outdated therapies. It also allows Duke cancer Center researchers to analyze survivorship and deliver medical care both reactively and proactively based on constantly updated cancer datasets.
Contact the Duke Comprehensive cancer Center
For more information, visit their website at: http://www.cancer.DUKE.edu/, or call (888) ASK-DUKE (888-275-3853, for non-urgent information and appointments), or (919) 416-DUKE from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday (Eastern time), or request an appointment at: https://healthview.dukehealth.org/wps/portal/makeAppointments
Duke Comprehensive cancer Center
2424 Erwin Road
Durham, NC 27705
Google map for DUKE Comprehensive cancer Center
