MD Anderson Cancer Center

MD Anderson Cancer Center was founded in 1941 and is located in Houston, Texas, in the southern United States. It is a world-renowned cancer specialty hospital. In 1971, it was one of the first three comprehensive cancer centers designated under the U.S. “War on Cancer” initiative. It is also one of the comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute and is widely recognized as a leading global center for cancer diagnosis, treatment, and research.

MD Anderson Cancer Center has more than 18,000 employees, including over 1,500 physicians, and more than 500 hospital beds. Each year, it admits more than 19,000 inpatients from the United States and other countries, with approximately 1,800 outpatient visits per day. More than 79,000 cancer patients receive treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center annually, about one-third of whom come from outside Texas. Each year, more than 11,000 patients participate in clinical trials of advanced new drugs and technologies at MD Anderson.

In 2008, the center treated a total of 90,000 cancer patients, including 30,000 new patients from around the world. Many of its patients have included political leaders and business elites from various countries. For example, Kun-Hee Lee, former chairman of Samsung Group and one of South Korea’s wealthiest business leaders, underwent surgery and follow-up treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center for lung cancer in 2000.

The treatments offered by the center include targeted therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, precision radiotherapy including proton therapy, immunotherapy, and combinations of multiple treatment modalities. Interdisciplinary expert teams work closely together to develop comprehensive treatment plans for patients.

MD Anderson Cancer Center invests more than USD 400 million annually in basic medical research and has a large number of research programs funded by the National Cancer Institute. The center currently receives funding for 10 NCI Specialized Programs of Research Excellence, covering brain tumors, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, bladder cancer, prostate cancer, leukemia, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, lung cancer, and melanoma. Each year, more than 1,100 clinical residents receive specialized training in cancer research and treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

For many years, MD Anderson Cancer Center has provided opportunities for Chinese oncologists to learn some of the world’s most advanced technologies. Physicians from almost all major cancer specialty hospitals in China have received training at the center, including many well-known oncology experts, such as Academician Sun Yan from the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.