Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Introduction to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Overview of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a Teaching Affiliate of Harvard Medical School

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute was founded in 1947 and is a cancer-specialized affiliated hospital of Harvard Medical School. It is also a comprehensive cancer center designated by the U.S. federal government and has been associated with one Nobel Prize laureate in Physiology or Medicine.

Clinical Strengths of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has clinical strengths in cancer genomics-guided therapy, cancer immunotherapy, cancer endocrine therapy, cancer biotherapy, cancer vaccines, and other advanced fields.

Its adult oncology care is among the leading programs in the United States, and its pediatric oncology program has consistently ranked among the top programs nationwide.

Since its establishment, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has been dedicated to providing specialized and efficient medical care for cancer patients. At the same time, through cutting-edge research, it continues to improve the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer and related diseases.

As an affiliated hospital of Harvard Medical School and a federally designated comprehensive cancer center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute also trains the next generation of physicians and specialists, helps improve public healthcare standards in high-risk and underserved regions, and promotes advanced treatment approaches and scientific discoveries across the United States and around the world.

Today, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has approximately 4,000 staff members and receives around 300,000 patient visits each year. More than 700 clinical trials are available annually. With its dual strengths in clinical care and research, Dana-Farber is widely recognized around the world.

In 1996, Brigham and Women’s Hospital joined with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a leading cancer treatment and research institution, to establish Dana-Farber/Brigham Cancer Center. In general, cancer patients receive outpatient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and inpatient treatment at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. The two institutions are connected by a bridge and function as an integrated cancer center.

Dana-Farber/Brigham Cancer Center has consistently been ranked among the leading and most recognized cancer treatment centers in the United States.

Dana-Farber/Brigham Cancer Center combines a leading cancer research institute with a major hospital, creating 12 cancer specialty programs that integrate comprehensive medical care, surgery, radiation therapy, and innovative clinical trials. It treats a wide range of cancers, including lung cancer, breast cancer, gastric cancer, esophageal cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, leukemia, multiple myeloma, central nervous system tumors, prostate cancer, kidney cancer, cervical cancer, osteosarcoma, head and neck cancer, skin cancer, and melanoma.

Its milestone achievements include developing the first and widely used biomarker test for ovarian cancer, CA-125; pioneering new methods for evaluating and treating prostate cancer; advancing sophisticated neurosurgical techniques for brain tumors; and being among the first to perform selective internal radiation therapy for liver cancer.

The current president is Professor Edward J. Benz Jr., a professor at Harvard Medical School, a reviewer for National Institutes of Health funding, and an internationally recognized expert in pediatric oncology.

Dana-Farber is home to many world-renowned oncology experts. Joseph H. Antin, director of the Stem Cell Transplantation Program, has served as president of the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation and is widely recognized in the fields of stem cell transplantation, bone marrow transplantation, aplastic anemia, and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.

Professor Judy Garber, former president of the American Association for Cancer Research, has focused her work on cancer genetics, prevention, and related research.