National Cancer Institute Approves Roswell Park's Core Grant For Five Years; Awards Best Overall Score In RPCI's History

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 27 Dec 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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Roswell Park Cancer Institute's (RPCI) Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) will not only be renewed by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for five years, but America's first cancer center has garnered its best CCSG score in its history.

RPCI has been an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center, without interruption, since 1974, and was one of the three centers used by the NCI as a model for the 39 comprehensive cancer centers in existence today.

"The receipt of a superb score on the renewal of our NCI Core Grant is testament to the outstanding work of the Roswell Park team and affirms that we are committed to conducting innovative and pioneering research and providing exemplary patient care," said Donald L. Trump , MD, FACP, President & CEO, RPCI. "These are the attributes of a world class cancer center and we are proud that the NCI has recognized the quality of our cancer programs and faculty."

To be designated a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute, a cancer center must demonstrate depth and breadth of research activities in each of the three major areas of cancer research including basic; clinical; and prevention, control and population-based research, as well as maintain a strong body of interactive research that bridges these scientific areas.

In the area of clinical research, a comprehensive cancer center must initiate and conduct early phase, innovative clinical trials; and provide leadership and accrue patients to these trials. A center also must provide outreach, education and information on cancer to the community it serves.

The CCSG renewal is a multi-step competitive process. RPCI's renewal involved submitting a 1,100 page comprehensive grant application and an on-site visit in September 2007 from NCI peer-reviewers. After a thorough and rigorous review, RPCI's scores improved in more than 25 areas when compared to its last review in 2003 and are among the best scores the Institute has ever received.

"This highly competitive award underscores Roswell Park's national and international reputation as a premier comprehensive cancer center with excellence in basic, clinical and population sciences and is tribute to the resurgence of Roswell Park," noted Michael L. Joseph, Chairman of the RPCIC Board of Directors .

Roswell Park Cancer Institute, founded in 1898, is the nation's first cancer research, treatment and education center and is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Upstate New York. RPCI is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation's leading cancer centers. Roswell Park has affiliate sites and collaborative programs in New York, Pennsylvania, and in China. For more information, visit RPCI's website at http://www.roswellpark.org