This month in our social media, we focus on cancer. So, why cancer you ask? Emory has a deep commitment to cancer research and patient care. One of the most prominent signs of the University’s commitment to cancer research and patient care is the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. But how did cancer centers start and what is our center’s impact?
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) was initially established by Congress in 1937 as an independent institute dedicated to cancer research and in 1944 was moved under the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NCI had its scope and responsibilities broadened by the National Cancer Act of 1971 under President Nixon; this shift often being seen as the modern war on cancer. The NCI coordinates the National Cancer Program, which conducts and supports research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to the cause, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer, rehabilitation from cancer, and the continuing care of cancer patients and the families of cancer patients.[i] (Check out this cool infographic about NCI.)
In the 1960s, NCI, as recommended by Congress, formulated the NCI Cancer Centers model, to create unity of purpose, improve access to infrastructure, foster stability, and centralize education and training[ii]. Within ten years there were eight national centers conducting research supported by the program. The National Cancer Act also included funding to establish 15 new centers. Throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s, Congress continued to fund expansion of the program and the model continued to evolve. Today, there are 68 NCI designated cancer centers, in three classifications (20 cancer centers, 41 comprehensive cancer centers, and 7 research centers), across 35 states and the District of Columbia.
Back at Emory we have the Winship Cancer Institute, the first and only NCI designated cancer center in Georgia. Winship was established in 1937 as the Robert Winship Memorial Clinic, in honor of his mother, and treated 168 patients in its first year. The name was officially changed to the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University in 2010 after receiving its NCI designation the previous year. Below are a few highlights of information about Winship, which show just what a large impact the center and its team are having.
Points of Pride
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75% of new cancer treatments approved by the FDA since 2007 have been tested in clinical trials at Winship
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Winship is first in the U.S. to test a new brain tumor drug
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Largest Phase I unit in the state of Georgia for early phase clinical trials
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Winship was recently selected as one of only 30 sites nationally to act as a Lead Academic Participating Site for the NCI National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN)
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Winship leader, Haian Fu, directs the Emory Chemical Biology Discovery Center one of only eight centers in the nation in the NCI Chemical Biology Consortium
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Two Winship researchers, Lee Cooper and David Gutman, recently received a $3.5M Informatics Technology for Cancer Research (ITCR) award from the National Cancer Institute
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Wally Curran, Winship Executive Director, leads one of three adult cooperative groups that conduct clinical trials.
By the Numbers
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Over 14,000 patents seen annually at Winship
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357 clinicians and researchers
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220 active clinical trials
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397 funded cancer research projects
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$87.4M in total grant funding
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$26.9M in NCI grant funding
Emory University is dedicated to creating, preserving, teaching, and applying knowledge in the service of humanity and the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University is moving forward with that mission every day. The continued research and care provided by top clinicians and researchers at Winship are helping prevent, treat, and cure cancer in Georgia, the Southeast and beyond.
[i] http://www.cancer.gov/aboutnci/overview
[ii] http://www.cancer.gov/researchandfunding/extramural/cancercenters/about/history