University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
Children's Cancer Hospital-University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
Who We Are
Celebrating more than six decades of Making Cancer History, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is located in central Houston on the sprawling campus of the Texas Medical Center. We're one of the world's most-respected centers devoted exclusively to cancer patient care, research, education and prevention.
M. D. Anderson was created in 1941 as a component of The University of Texas System. We're one of the nation's original three comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Act of 1971 and one of 40 National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer centers today.
We're achieving our goal of Making Cancer History, one patient at a time, through a customized approach to treatment, the latest technology and world-recognized cancer research. At M. D. Anderson, we know that no two people, and no two cancers, are exactly alike. That's why each patient receives a treatment plan tailored to his or her particular needs. We treat the whole person, taking many factors into account, including medical history, lifestyle and other health issues.
Patient Care
Offering this kind of customized care requires options that only a comprehensive cancer center like M. D. Anderson can offer. Our cancer specialists can call on the latest treatment options, including clinical trials and leading-edge technology, to customize a treatment plan around each patient. Since 1944, nearly 800,000 patients have turned to M. D. Anderson for cancer care in the form of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, or combinations of these and other treatments. This team approach to treating cancer was pioneered at M. D. Anderson. Because our experts focus on cancer, they're renowned for their ability to treat all types of cancer, including rare or uncommon diseases.
During Fiscal Year 2008, M. D. Anderson provided cancer care for 89,110 patients. Of these, more than 29,000 were new patients. We project that more than 90,000 patients, an estimated one-third of them new patients, will receive care at M. D. Anderson in FY09. About one-third of them come to Houston from outside Texas, seeking the knowledge-based care that has made M. D. Anderson so widely respected. Almost 13,000 patients participated in clinical trials exploring novel therapies and diagnostic tests in FY08, making it the largest such program in the nation.
Research
At M. D. Anderson, important scientific knowledge gained in the laboratory is rapidly translated into clinical care. In FY08, we invested more than $488 million in research, an increase of about 56% in the past five years. M. D. Anderson ranks first in the number of research grants awarded and total amount of grants given by the NCI.
We're expanding our research endeavors with the creation of the McCombs Institute for the Early Detection and Treatment of Cancer. The institute comprises six translational research centers focused on genomics, proteomics, screening, diagnostic imaging and drug development.
Education
In FY08, almost 6,000 students, including physicians, scientists, nurses and allied health professionals, took part in M. D. Anderson educational programs. Our School of Health Professions offers bachelor's degrees in seven allied health disciplines. More than 1,000 clinical residents and fellows come to M. D. Anderson each year to receive specialized training in the investigation and treatment of cancer. More than 500 graduate students are working on advanced degrees at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, which M. D. Anderson operates jointly with The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. More than 1,500 research fellows are being trained in our laboratories.
Thousands more participate in continuing education and distance learning opportunities sponsored by M. D. Anderson, sharing knowledge around the globe. We provide public education programs to teach healthy people about cancer symptoms and risk factors, giving them information that one day might aid them in making critical health care decisions.
Prevention
Recognizing that prevention is the best way to eliminate the threat of cancer, M. D. Anderson takes a multifaceted approach. Expanded research efforts in epidemiology and behavioral science complement achievements made in clinical cancer prevention. Laboratory activities support developmental and practical applications of cancer prevention. The Cancer Prevention Center provides comprehensive cancer screening services, including cancer risk assessment, screening exams based on age and gender, personalized risk reduction strategies, genetic testing, chemoprevention, tobacco cessation, and nutrition counseling.
Services and Special Capabilities
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Proton Therapy Center
The Proton Therapy Center at M. D. Anderson offers the most advanced form of radiation treatment available, delivering the most aggressive cancer therapy possible while keeping the side effects and harm to healthy tissue to a minimum. -
BrainSUITE
BrainSUITE combines advanced imaging technologies with sophisticated diagnostic and surgical tools in one operating room to provide surgeons with better information during complicated brain surgeries. -
Cancer Prevention Center
The Cancer Prevention Center offers programs, counseling services and information to help people make healthy lifestyle choices to prevent cancer or its recurrence. -
Place ... of wellness
Place ... of wellness offers more than 75 complementary programs, free of charge, to help with the non-medical dimensions of living with cancer. -
Cancer Survivorship
Cancer survivorship programs and services help patients live with, through and beyond cancer. -
International Center
The International Center's multilingual staff helps register new patients, schedule appointments and arrange accommodations and transportation for those who travel to M. D. Anderson from all over the world. -
Jesse H. Jones Rotary House International
Jesse H. Jones Rotary House International provides a home-like environment with personnel who understand our patients' health care needs.
Awards and Recognition
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Joint Commission
M. D. Anderson is accredited by the Joint Commission, a nonprofit hospital accreditation organization that ensures that patients receive the best and safest health care possible. -
Magnet Nursing
The nursing program at M. D. Anderson holds Magnet Nursing Services Recognition status from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Magnet recognition is the highest award for nursing service excellence in the world. -
SPORE Grants
M. D. Anderson holds 11 NCI Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grants: brain, breast, genitourinary, head and neck, leukemia, lung, melanoma, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, uterine. -
SACS Accreditation
Accreditation by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools affirms M. D. Anderson as a major teaching institution with degree-granting authority. -
Postdoctoral Fellow Ranking
M. D. Anderson is ranked among the Top 5 workplaces in North America for postdoctoral fellows, according to a 2008 survey conducted by The Scientist magazine. -
Top Employer Rankings
M. D. Anderson ranked as a top employer in recent surveys by the American Association of Retired Persons (employees age 50 and over) and Texas Monthly (best companies in Texas).