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Source: Abby Sinnott
415-476-2557
29 June 1998
UCSF CANCER CENTER
Scientists and clinicians are embarking on an unprecedented era of cancer research and patient care. The UC San Francisco Cancer Center--the only one in Northern California that acts as a center "without walls" by bringing together scientists and clinicians from many sites to collaborate on virtually every aspect of cancer--plans to be the leader of this new era. Utilizing the resources of one of the finest biomedical research universities in the world, the UCSF Cancer Center's mission is the discovery and evolution of new ideas and information about cancer, from research to the clinical implementation phases of cancer control. These advances could lead to earlier detection, improved drug therapies and, ultimately, increased survival rates and improved patient quality of life.
The UCSF Cancer Center's headquarters are located at the UCSF/Mount Zion Medical Center, where there is a modern cancer research building that focuses on translational research. In addition, a new clinical outpatient facility will break ground this June at UCSF/Mount Zion Medical Center. The synergy and collaboration of this arrangement is a hallmark of UCSF's cancer programs. While basic scientists explore cancer's most fundamental causes, clinical researchers are exploring ways this knowledge can be applied, providing patients with access to the latest experimental protocols.
UCSF is currently seeking designation from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Once the designation is obtained, UCSF and Stanford medical centers, who recently merged and formed UCSF Stanford Health Care, will incorporate their basic research and clinical components to become the only comprehensive NCI designated cancer center in Northern California (SEE "Funding Approved for Cancer Centers" release). Both UCSF and Stanford medical centers were ranked among the top 10 institutions for cancer care by the 1997 US News World and Report Annual Survey.
UCSF has been a progressive force in cancer science for the past 50 years. In the mid-1970's, J. Michael Bishop, MD, and Harold Varmus, MD, discovered cancer-causing genes called oncogenes. Their Nobel Prize-winning work opened new doors for exploring the genetic mistakes that cause cancer and formed the basis for some of the most important cancer research happening today.
Cancer research and care at UCSF includes four areas of endeavor:
• Basic Scientific Research: The work of laboratory scientists focuses on understanding normal cellular processes and replication, and discovering the underlying molecular and genetic causes of cancer when these processes go awry. UCSF Cancer Center lab researchers are committed to advancing basic scientific insights beyond model systems and applying them to clinical oncology and cancer prevention and control.
• Clinical Research: Clinical scientists explore how advances in our understanding of fundamental biological events can be transformed into clinical trials and treatments. New and experimental forms of cancer treatment, as well as innovations in cancer diagnosis and prognosis, undergo rigorous evaluation for safety and efficacy. The knowledge gained in clinical research trials translates directly into improved patient outcomes and hopes for the future.
• Patient Care: As part of UCSF Stanford Health Care, the UCSF Cancer Center provides superlative cancer patient care at UCSF/Mount Zion Medical Center and Moffit and Long Hospitals. UCSF physicians also provide staffing for two UCSF-affiliated institutions, San Francisco General Hospital and San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
• Epidemiology, Prevention and Control: Programs in cancer epidemiology, and prevention and control, concentrate on the behavioral, environmental, and genetic factors that affect the risk of developing certain cancers. Researchers also explore the effectiveness of prevention strategies in the community.
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