March 7, 2003

Recognizing excellence: Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center celebrates

With a rich history of conducting outstanding research and providing excellent cancer treatment, the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center is celebrating its many accomplishments next week. The Cancer Center staff will be gathering March 11 for a series of celebrations throughout the day, ending with an evening event in the WACC Lobby starting at 5:30 pm.

"This celebration is meant to recognize the significant contributions our staff have made to the delivery of excellent cancer care," says Bruce Chabner, MD, clinical director of the Cancer Center (pictured below). "We want to reflect on our history of research and clinical care and also look ahead as we embark on a new journey to further develop our position as a world-class leader in cancer care."

The Cancer Center was established in 1986 under the leadership of Kurt J. Isselbacher, MD, who had served previously as chief of Gastroenterology at the MGH for 30 years. "I was witnessing the rapid expansion of opportunities in both basic science and clinical research related to cancer, and I saw the opportunity for the MGH to further develop into one of this country's leading cancer centers," says Isselbacher. "Today, the success, the excitement, the opportunities clearly are based on multidisciplinary collaboration and cooperation." The clinical activities of the Cancer Center have grown dramatically, with a tenfold increase in research trials and faculty in the past eight years. In addition, the Cancer Center laboratories, primarily based at CNY, have become established as a world-renowned research center.

An important component of the Cancer Center's success is the multidisciplinary collaborations that have been established to provide a full spectrum of services in cancer care. For example, MassGeneral CancerCare for Children — a division of MassGeneral Hospital for Children — works in collaboration with the Cancer Center to develop and provide the latest innovations in pediatric cancer care.

Another premier partnership is the Dana-Farber/Partners CancerCare (DF/PCC) program, which was started in 1996 as a collaboration in adult oncology among the MGH, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and BWH. Currently, more than 12,000 new patients enter the DF/PCC system each year, making the alliance the largest cancer care provider in New England and one of the largest in the United States.

Based on the success of the DF/PCC, the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center was launched in 1999. This collaboration includes the MGH, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, BWH, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health with a focus on cancer research efforts.

For more information about the Cancer Center, call (617) 726-5130 or visit www.massgeneral.org/cancer.