Nashville, TN (March 9, 2001) -- The National Cancer Institute has designated the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center as a Comprehensive Cancer Center, the highest ranking awarded cancer centers by the federal government, Sen. Bill Frist announced here today.

Vanderbilt-Ingram is the only center in Tennessee to join the top tier of cancer centers nationwide. This network of 39 institutions includes such well-respected centers as Memorial Sloan-Kettering, M.D. Anderson and Johns Hopkins.

"Thirty years ago, the President and the U.S. Congress declared War on Cancer and charged the National Cancer Institute with overseeing that effort," Frist said. "It is the Comprehensive Cancer Centers, like Vanderbilt, that are the leaders of this battle and the places where the cures for cancer are most likely to be found. I'm proud that Vanderbilt has worked so hard to earn this distinction, and I'm pleased that the NCI has awarded this prestigious designation in recognition of Vanderbilt's commitment to fight cancer."

To earn designation as a Comprehensive Cancer Center, a facility must undergo a competitive review process and meet rigorous standards, specifically in three areas:

1. innovative and comprehensive research into the causes, development, prevention and treatment of cancer;

2. leadership in the development and study of new therapies;

3. commitment to the community through programs for cancer information, education and outreach. Relatively few Comprehensive Cancer Centers are found in the southeast. Six states that border Tennessee do not have Comprehensive Cancer Centers.

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Contact: Cynthia Manley
cynthia.manley@mcmail.vanderbilt.edu
615-322-4747
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
8-Mar-2001