The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (colloquially MD Anderson Cancer Center) is a comprehensive
cancer center in
Houston, Texas. It is the largest cancer center in the U.S. and one of the original three
NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the country.[1][2][3][4] It is both a degree-granting academic institution and a cancer treatment and research center located within
Texas Medical Center (TMC), Houston, the largest medical center and life sciences destination in the world.[5][6][7][8] MD Anderson Cancer Center has consistently ranked #1 among the best hospitals for cancer care and research in the U.S. and worldwide,[9][10][11][12][13] and it has held the #1 position 19 times in the last 22 years on
U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals rankings for cancer care.[14][11] As of 2023, MD Anderson Cancer Center is home to the highest number of cancer clinical trials in the world and has received more
NCI-funded projects than any other U.S. institute.[15][16] In 2024, Newsweek placed MD Anderson at #1 in their annual list of the World's Best Specialized Hospitals in
oncology.[17]
History
The cancer center is named after
Monroe Dunaway Anderson, who feared that in the event of one of the partners' deaths, his company would lose a large amount of money to
estate tax and be forced to dissolve. To avoid this, Anderson created the MD Anderson Foundation with an initial sum of $300,000. In 1939, after Anderson's death, the foundation received $19 million.
In 1941, the
Texas Legislature had appropriated $500,000 to build a cancer hospital and research center. The Anderson Foundation agreed to match funds with the state if the hospital were located in Houston in the Texas Medical Center (another project of the Anderson Foundation) and named after Anderson.[18]
Using surplus World War II Army barracks, the hospital operated for 10 years from a converted residence and 46 beds leased in a Houston hospital before moving to its current location in 1954.[18]
The institution became the subject of controversy in 2005 when it leased the use of its name to private investors who intended to promote a particular therapeutic approach,
proton therapy. An article in the Houston Chronicle suggested that the arrangement between the center and the investors might skew incentives, providing MD Anderson with non-medical reasons to "send as many patients as possible into the program."[19]
Organization
Status
Being part of The University of Texas System, MD Anderson Cancer Center is managed under a nonprofit structure; however, for-profit agreements[20][21] have caused some to question the motives of the center.[22][23][24][25]
Education & training
MD Anderson enjoys independent university status within
University of Texas System by providing
postdoctoral fellowships,
medical internship, and
residency. These programs are designed for Ph.D., M.D., or M.D./Ph.D holders and medical professionals in basic & translational sciences and clinical practice, aiming to train the next generation of scientists and medical professionals in cancer care and research. MD Anderson offers a vast number of medical residency and fellowship programs across a comprehensive range of specialties in cancer treatment, diagnostics, and complex surgery.[26] The institution offers master's degrees,[27] Ph.D.s[28] and dual M.D./Ph.D. degrees[29] to students enrolled in
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences,[30] which it operates with UT Health Science Center at Houston. Areas of study include biochemistry and cell biology, cancer biology, genetics and epigenetics, immunology, medical physics, microbiology and infectious diseases, neuroscience, quantitative sciences, and therapeutics and pharmacology. Additionally, the institution offers bachelor's and master's degrees to students enrolled in The UT MD Anderson Cancer Center School of Health Professions. Areas of study include clinical laboratory science, cytogenetic technology, cytotechnology, diagnostic imaging, diagnostic medical sonography, healthcare disparities, diversity and advocacy, histotechnology, medical dosimetry, molecular genetic technology, diagnostic genetics, radiological sciences and radiation therapy.
Recognition
In addition to its No. 1 ranking in cancer care by U.S. News & World Report, the cancer center ranks first in the number of
National Cancer Institute grants and invested $1.2 billion in research in FY 2023.[31] The cancer center also has received Magnet Nursing recognition[32] from the
American Nurses Credentialing Center. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has consistently ranked as the world's #1 hospital in
oncology care and research.[33][34][35]
In May 1996, the
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) established the Collaborating Center for Supportive Cancer Care at the Pain Research Group, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.[36] The terms of reference engage the MD Anderson Center in the development of palliative care programs throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.[37]
Presidents
MD Anderson has had five full-time presidents in its history:
The MD Anderson campus is divided into the North Campus, Mid Campus and South Campus.[41] The North Campus includes: The Main Building, which comprises Alkek Hospital,[42] Bates-Freeman Building, Clark Clinic, Gimbel Building, Jones Research Building, LeMaistre Clinic, Love Clinic and Lutheran Hospital Pavilion. Other facilities on this campus are the Dan L. Duncan Building, Clinical Research Building, Faculty Center, Mays Clinic, Mitchell Basic Sciences Research Building, Pickens Academic Tower, Radiology Outpatient Center and Rotary House International. The T. Boone Pickens Academic Tower, a 21-story, 730,000-square-foot (68,000 m2) building, which opened in 2008, is named after
T. Boone Pickens, who donated to the cancer center. It houses classrooms, conference facilities, and executive and faculty offices.[43]
The South Campus is home to the McCombs Institute for the Early Detection and Treatment of Cancer,[44] which includes seven translational research centers focused on
genomics,
proteomics, screening,
diagnostic imaging and drug development. The Mid Campus building, a 25-story building to support current office space and future growth needs, opened in 2011.
The MD Anderson Cancer Center's Houston campus houses multiple specialized institutes that enhance its comprehensive approach to cancer care.[45] These include the James P. Allison Institute, dedicated to advancing immunotherapy;[46] the Duncan Family Institute for Cancer Prevention and Risk Assessment, focusing on cancer prevention and risk analysis;[47] the Institute for Applied Cancer Science, which drives the translation of scientific discoveries into new therapies;[48] the Institute for Cancer Care Innovation, aimed at improving cancer care delivery and outcomes;[49] the Institute for Data Science in Oncology, leveraging big data for cancer research;[50] and the Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy, which tailors treatments to individual patients based on genetic and molecular profiling.[51]
In 2023, MD Anderson Cancer Center broke ground on a new 600,000-square-foot facility in the Helix Park of the
Texas Medical Center (TMC) to serve as the centerpiece of the institution’s large south campus research park. This building will house several of MD Anderson's strategic research programs, including the newly established James P. Allison Institute.[52] The TMC3 Collaborative Building in the Helix Park will also host commercial life sciences companies, industry leaders, and TMC Venture Fund.[53]
MD Anderson Cancer Center is one of the four founding institutions of the Helix Park campus of
Texas Medical Center (TMC).[54] At the TMC Helix Park campus, healthcare professionals, academics, and business leaders collaborate to develop new medicines, medical devices, diagnostics, digital health platforms, and treatment solutions. This accelerates the discovery and delivery of life-changing advancements. The TMC3 Helix Park hotel provides accommodations for
life science researchers, industry executives, and venture capitalists, contributing to Houston's ambition to become a global leader in life sciences and human health.[55]
MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital
MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital is the pediatric unit of the MD Anderson Cancer Center system. The hospital treats infants, children, teens, and young adults even up to age 29 through their
AYA cancer program.[56] MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital is located on the 9th floor of the main building at the
Texas Medical Center,
Houston campus.
MD Anderson Cancer Center Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy
In 2011, the President of the
United Arab Emirates donated $150 million to MD Anderson Cancer Center.[57] The donation was to start The MD Anderson Cancer Center Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy. This gift was in honor of the UAE president's father,
Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who led the UAE for over thirty years until his death in 2004. The institute focuses on research and clinical trials where doctors use a patient’s tumor biopsy to find abnormal genes. They then choose treatments that target those specific genes to fight cancer. The MD Anderson Zayed Building for Personalized Cancer Care is located on the MD Anderson Cancer Center campus in
Houston,
Texas.[58][59] The Zayed Building received 2016 R&D Magazine Lab of the Year Award.[60]
James P. Allison Institute at MD Anderson Cancer Center
The James P. Allison Institute was established after its namesake, Nobel laureate
James P. Allison, Professor and Chair of Immunology at MD Anderson Cancer Center.[61] Allison was awarded the 2018
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly with Tasuku Honjo "for their discovery of cancer therapy by inhibition of negative immune regulation".[62] The institute was established to unlock the full potential of cancer immunotherapy.[63] It is located within the south campus of MD Anderson Cancer Center in the Helix Park area of the
Texas Medical Center in
Houston,
Texas.[64]
Other locations in greater Houston metropolitan area
MD Anderson operates several other locations within the
Greater Houston, Texas area. They include:
MD Anderson
League City, on the University of Texas Medical Branch League City campus. Specialties include breast cancer, colorectal cancer, dermatology and skin cancer, endocrine cancer, genitourinary cancer, gynecologic cancer, head and neck cancer, neurologic cancer, and thoracic cancer.[65]
MD Anderson
Sugar Land, on the campus of St. Luke's Sugar Land Hospital. Specialties include breast cancer, colorectal cancer, dermatology and skin cancer, endocrine cancer, thoracic cancer, neurologic cancer, genitourinary cancer, and gynecologic cancer.[66]
MD Anderson West Houston. Specialties include breast cancer, colorectal cancer, dermatology and skin cancer, endocrine cancer, head and neck cancer, thoracic cancer, neurologic cancer, genitourinary cancer, gynecologic cancer, and urology.[67]
MD Anderson
The Woodlands, on the campus of St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital. Specialties include breast cancer, colorectal cancer, dermatology and skin cancer, endocrine cancer, head and neck cancer, thoracic cancer, neurologic cancer, genitourinary cancer, and gynecologic cancer.[68]
MD Anderson Surgical Clinic
Memorial City, on the campus of Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center. This location offers surgical consultation for many types of cancer. It has special expertise in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of breast cancer, gynecologic cancer, thoracic cancer, head and neck cancer, urologic cancer, neurologic cancer, and plastic surgery and reconstruction.[69]
MD Anderson Gynecologic Oncology Clinic in the
Texas Medical Center, on the campus of The Woman's Hospital of Texas. This facility specializes in gynecological cancers and treats cervical cancer, fallopian tube cancer, uterine (endometrial) cancer, vaginal cancer, ovarian cancer, vulvar cancer, gynecologic sarcomas, gestational trophoblastic disease, pre-invasive diseases of the lower genital tract, and primary peritoneal cancer.[70]
In September 2018, in collaboration with The University of Texas Medical Branch, the MD Anderson Bay Area location moved to a newly built facility in League City, Texas.[71]
Expansion to Austin, Texas
On August 14, 2023, the University of Texas System announced its plan to build a new MD Anderson Cancer Center in Austin, Texas, on the current site of the
Frank Erwin Center adjacent to the
University of Texas at Austin campus. The new center will collaborate with a new UT Austin teaching hospital that will also be built nearby. The demolition of the Erwin Center is scheduled to be completed in 2024, and the groundbreakings for the new hospitals are projected to commence in 2026.[72]
Other locations outside Texas in U.S.
Several hospitals and institutions outside of Texas are part of the MD Anderson Cancer Network. These independently operated facilities follow MD Anderson treatment plans and standards of care. The network includes:
The MD Anderson Radiation Treatment Center at Presbyterian Kaseman Hospital is located in the Presbyterian Kaseman Hospital in
Albuquerque, New Mexico.[73]
In 2000, MD Anderson Cancer Center,
Madrid,
Spain started operating as the first global branch of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston. MD Anderson Madrid is currently a Center of Excellence for the treatment of cancer in
Spain and
Europe and one of the most productive institutions in Spain for cancer research.[80][81] The MD Anderson Cancer Center Spain Foundation Excellence Training Program develops talented non-healthcare researchers in Spain through collaborations with top institutions, aiming to enhance their academic and research careers. It targets postdoctoral researchers in biomedical sciences, offering opportunities for research and teaching.[82]
Expansion to Istanbul, Turkey
The MD Anderson Radiation Treatment Center in Istanbul at American Hospital is located in the Vehbi Koc Foundation (VKF) American Hospital in
Istanbul,
Turkey.[83]
Sister institutions
MD Anderson has formed sister institution relationships with more than 25 organizations in Asia, Europe, Central America and South America through its Global Academic Programs department. Collaborations focus on research, prevention, education and patient care.[84]
The collaboration between the MD Anderson Cancer Center in
Houston and
Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH) in
Mumbai,
India is a significant partnership aimed at enhancing cancer research, education, and clinical care. Established in 2003, this sister institution accord was facilitated by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston. The partnership focuses on multiple areas, including physician education and training, clinical services, research collaboration, quality assurance programs, faculty exchange visits, and nursing and technical staff training.[85]
In 2023, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center revealed plans to expand its global oncology initiatives in
Mozambique and
Brazil. This includes a new four-year partnership aimed at enhancing cancer prevention and treatment in collaboration with Mozambique's Ministry of Health. Additionally, MD Anderson received a $5.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support cervical cancer prevention and treatment for women living with HIV.[89]
MD Anderson Cancer Center Africa Initiative
The MD Anderson Cancer Center's
Africa Initiative, part of its Global Oncology Program launched in September 2022, aims to reduce the cancer burden in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) through comprehensive education, training, and collaborative research. One of the flagship projects under this initiative is Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes), which employs case-based learning and videoconferencing to enhance the skills of healthcare providers in LMICs, particularly in cancer prevention, control, and treatment. Additionally, the Palliative Care in Africa (PACA) initiative connects regional experts and providers across several African nations like
Ghana,
Kenya,
Nigeria,
South Africa,
Zambia to improve palliative care for advanced cancer patients through regular teleconferences and training sessions. This initiative underscores MD Anderson's commitment to global health by fostering international collaborations and supporting capacity building in regions with limited resources.[90][91]
MD Anderson Services Corporation
MD Anderson Services Corporation[92] (formerly MD Anderson Cancer Center
Outreach Corporation[93]) was established in 1989 as a not-for-profit corporation to enhance revenues of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center by establishing joint ventures in selected markets, providing additional referrals to the institution, contracting for delivery of inpatient and out-patient management, using existing UT MD Anderson Cancer Center reference laboratory services, and fostering additional philanthropy in distant areas.[citation needed]
^De Lima L1, Bruera E.The Pan American Health Organization: its structure and role in the development of a palliative care program for Latin America and the Caribbean.J Symptom Manage 2000 Dec;20(6):440-8.
^Cancerwise Blogger. "
M. D. Anderson in Istanbul, Turkey." University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. February 2, 2010. Retrieved on April 4, 2010.