News from the Director

This issue of Crossroads provides a closer look at what sets the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center apart from other cancer facilities. You will learn what the National Cancer Institute’s “comprehensive” designation means and why it has been given to UAB and only 41 other institutions in the United States.

Research is one crucial requirement for becoming a comprehensive center. In fact, the NCI designation is awarded only to those institutions that conduct basic research, which happens in the laboratory; translational, which quickly applies laboratory findings to patient cases; clinical research conducted in people; and prevention and control research, which takes place in the laboratory and among normal or well populations to understand how to prevent cancer and detect it early.

The UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center has a depth and breadth of research in all of these areas that are unmatched in the state and region. In addition to the outstanding research program, we also have the largest group of cancer specialists, and we are the only institution in the state with specialists and subspecialists in literally every cancer discipline.

The UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center is a real treasure for the people of Alabama and the Deep South, and as a public institution, we are proud to serve the people who live here.  This service comes in the form of the highest quality cancer care, our outstanding research program, and our extensive outreach and education programs that help eliminate cancer health disparities among our poor citizens.

As a comprehensive cancer center in a large university, we do not receive revenue from patient care or grants and contracts obtained by our researchers.  Thus we depends substantially on philanthropy and state support.

We hope that this issue of Crossroads will help you understand the need for public support of an important institution such as the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center.  We, in turn, will be good stewards of those dollars and continue to be a major asset to the citizens of Alabama and the region.

Edward E. Partridge, M.D.
Director
Evalina B. Spencer Chair in Oncology