National Cancer Institute Designation
Our elite distinction as a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center gives Georgians improved access to clinical trials and resources that may not be available elsewhere.
About Our Designation
Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University has demonstrated that its outstanding programs are reducing the cancer burden on the state of Georgia through research conducted in its laboratories, its clinical trial program, its community outreach and education efforts, and its population-based science.
As a result, Winship has earned the prestigious Comprehensive Cancer Center designation from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), placing it in the top tier of all cancer centers in the United States and making it the first and only one in the state.
NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers are recognized for the depth and breadth of their basic science and clinical research, in addition to cancer prevention, control and population/behavioral sciences.
Designation requires effective collaboration among various disciplines and with our community partners in private practice and in academic centers throughout Georgia and across the nation.
With this recognition comes the responsibility to provide public information, education and outreach to other health care professionals and the community.
Winship's comprehensive designation was awarded after a rigorous evaluation process conducted by the NCI that included submission of a written grant and a site visit conducted by more than two dozen scientists from peer institutions.
NCI Designation and Cancer Survival
National Cancer Institute designation is associated with improved long-term survival up to 25% greater than others who are not a NCI-designated location like Winship Cancer Institute. According to a research study, possible factors responsible for these benefits include surgeon training, multidisciplinary care and adherence to treatment guidelines.
About the National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute, or NCI, is part of the National Institutes of Health, which is one of the 27 Institutes and Centers that make up the Department of Health and Human Services. The NCI serves as the government’s principal agency for cancer research and training. The NCI is also charged with the duty of incorporating the most advanced and effective cancer treatments into clinical practice. It coordinates the National Cancer Program, which conducts and supports the research and treatment of cancer at every stage. In addition, the NCI is in charge of communicating information concerning research and discoveries.
The National Cancer Act of 1971, enacted as part of the nation's war on cancer, established the Cancer Centers Program of the National Cancer Institute. This branch was charged with developing a network of distinguished cancer research centers characterized by scientific excellence and the ability to bring diverse research approaches to bear on the cancer problem.