For people who receive a diagnosis of cancer, where they receive treatment is as important as the treatment they receive. National Cancer Institute–designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers (CCCs) provide leading-edge diagnostics and treatments. Studies have shown that care provided by clinicians at CCCs, like those at NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, significantly improves patients’ long-term survival compared with other teaching hospitals or community cancer treatment locations:

• Among patients residing in Los Angeles County with newly diagnosed adult-onset cancers (liver, colorectal, gastric, lung, pancreatic, and breast), those who were treated at CCCs experienced superior survival compared with those treated at non‐CCC facilities.
• Patients with ovarian cancer were more likely to adhere to treatment guidelines and had improved survival if they were treated at a CCC.
• Receiving a second opinion from a CCC has the potential to improve outcomes for African American patients.

Cancer care at CCCs is delivered by multidisciplinary teams of surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation therapists, and pathologists, augmented by dedicated nurses, social workers, psychiatrists, and physical therapists. Physicians at CCCs have access to the latest evidence for administering the most effective therapies for patients, including advanced diagnostic testing to determine whether a targeted therapy is available that matches genetic mutations or characteristics of a patient’s tumor to help personalize treatment. Genetic counseling and testing are available to determine whether patients are at a higher risk for cancers known to run in families, which can also guide treatment options. Clinical research studies at CCCs provide patients with access to the newest and most innovative treatment approaches.

Patients who receive treatment at NCI-designated CCCs can be assured that they will be treated by compassionate and experienced providers with extensive experience in the treatment of all cancer types.