NCI Community Cancer Centers Program

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About NCCCP

NCI Community Cancer Centers Program

Improving Access. Advancing Care. Expanding Research.

The NCCCP is a network of 21 community hospital-based cancer centers in 16 states working to support cancer research and enhance the quality of cancer care at the nation's community hospitals. Launched in 2007 as a pilot program, the NCCCP is exploring ways in which community hospitals can best support a wide range of basic, clinical, and population-based cancer research, with the goals of enhancing the quality of patient care and advancing cancer research. In 2010, the NCCCP network grew from 16 to 30 participating hospitals, with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. In July 2012, following a limited competition for additional funding, NCI selected 21 of the participating hospitals to continue in the program for an additional two years.

The NCCCP hospitals are studying ways to:

Reduce cancer healthcare disparities
Increase patient participation in clinical trials
Improve quality of cancer care
Enhance cancer survivorship and palliative care services
Expand use of electronic health records and connect to cancer research data networks
Promote collection of high-quality biospecimens to support genomically-informed research (also known as personalized medicine)

Learn more about the goals of the NCCCP

“Because most cancer patients receive their care in their communities, shouldn't we as a nation develop a national network of community cancer centers to provide advanced cancer care right where people live?”

Howard Zaren, M.D., St. Joseph's / Candler, Savannah, Georgia

Collaborations
The individual NCCCP hospitals collaborate with one another and are strengthening their partnerships with the NCI-designated Cancer Centers, The Cancer Genome Atlas, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer, and other research programs to improve patient care and provide patients with greater access to research opportunities.

Lessons Learned
The NCCCP network of hospitals collaborates on projects to improve patient outcomes, share best practices, and develop new resources. These tools are made available to other community cancer programs through publications, presentations at national meetings, and through this website.