Duke Cancer Center
Duke Cancer Center, located in Durham, North Carolina, is a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center recognized for its extensive expertise and research in oncology. As of 2024, it ranks as the 29th best cancer hospital in the U.S. and is the leading cancer facility in North Carolina, serving over 66,000 new patients annually from a broad geographic area. Established in 1972, the center is integrated within a prominent teaching hospital and offers specialized programs in various fields, including breast and ovarian oncology, brain tumors, and stem cell transplantation, among others.
The center provides comprehensive care for a wide range of cancers, including those affecting the head, neck, lungs, and breast, and offers tailored support services for pediatric patients and families. Patients benefit from a multidisciplinary approach that includes not only medical treatment but also resources focused on mental well-being and survivorship, such as support groups and educational programs. The facility features advanced treatment options, including outpatient chemotherapy and a dedicated fertility center to help patients navigate the impact of cancer treatment on future family planning.
Additionally, Duke Cancer Center is actively involved in cancer research, conducting clinical trials and participating in initiatives aimed at improving cancer detection and treatment. Overall, the center is committed to supporting patients throughout their cancer journey, from diagnosis to recovery.
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Duke Cancer Center
DEFINITION: The Duke Cancer Center in Durham, North Carolina, is one of fifty-seven cancer centers that have been designated as comprehensive cancer centers by the National Cancer Institute. As of 2024, U.S. News & World Report ranked the center twenty-ninth among cancer hospitals in the United States and named it the top cancer facility in North Carolina. The center serves patients not only from North Carolina but also from throughout the nation and the world. More than 66,000 new patients are seen every year at the center.
Facilities: Established in 1972, the Duke Cancer Center is a part of a large teaching hospital. Many of the physicians and nursing staff are well known for their research and expertise. Programs and areas of strength include breast and ovarian oncology, the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke, stem cell transplantation, esophageal and lung cancer, melanoma, the Cancer Patient Support Program, and the Oncology Recreation Therapy Program. The center treats children and young adults through the Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at Duke University Medical Center, and the center’s Hereditary Cancer Clinic focuses on genetic cancers.
Specializations: The Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center treats a large variety of both primary and metastatic cancers, including head and neck cancers, digestive cancers, respiratory cancers, bone and soft tissue cancers, melanoma and other skin cancers, breast cancer, genitourinary cancers (both male and female), brain and central nervous system cancers, endocrine cancers, lymphomas, myeloma, and leukemia. Oncology services are linked with hematology, surgery, neurology, orthopedics, and women’s health clinics.
The center serves cancer patients from diagnosis to treatment and through survivorship. It also provides patients and their families with numerous resources, including a large network of oncologists. Oncologists are located not only on the Duke Hospital campus but also throughout the network, which extends up into Virginia and as far south as Florida.
On the main campus, patients are seen in various specialty clinics, including a hematology oncology clinic, a surgical oncology clinic, a brain tumor center, and an adult bone marrow clinic. The patients visit the clinics from the beginning of diagnosis well into remission. Also on the main campus is the Oncology Treatment Room, which serves outpatient chemotherapy patients and has a pheresis division.
The center’s cutting-edge radiation oncology department provides the latest and best equipment for cancer patients. The center has three inpatient units that care for patients who are not able to receive their therapy on an outpatient basis.
The Duke Center for Fertility provides an invaluable resource in addressing fertility issues surrounding cancer treatment. With improved therapies, cancer patients are surviving longer, and some wish to have children after treatment.
The Center for Integrative Medicine offers support of the cancer patient as a whole person. Integrative medicine takes into consideration not only a patient’s diagnosis and treatment but also the individual’s diet, exercise, and mental well-being.
The patient’s well-being is an important aspect of all care provided by the center. The Duke Cancer Patient Support Program offers support groups and special programs to guide patients through their treatment and help them adjust to survivorship. Programs include chemotherapy classes, wig and turban programs, and the Look Good, Feel Good program. Duke also provides a cancer treatment library to help patients and family learn more about the disease.
Research: The center conducts research on a regular basis, including small and large clinical trials. All oncology departments are involved with some aspect of cancer research, which covers areas such as vaccines, immunotherapies, chemotherapies, and stem cell research.
The center also participates in the Duke Tumor Registry, a statewide program to improve the detection and treatment of cancer. The registry gathers information relating to cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
Bibliography
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"Duke Cancer Institute." National Cancer Institute. Natl. Inst. of Health, n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2014.
"Duke University Hospital: Rankings." US News & World Report. US News & World Report, n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2014.
Laszlo, John, and Francis A. Neelson. The Doctor’s Doctor: A Biography of Eugene A. Stead, Jr., MD. Durham: Carolina Academic, 2006. Print.
National Cancer Institute, Division of Cancer Research Resources and Centers. The Cancer Centers Program. Washington, DC: US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, 1974. Print.
“NCI-Designated Cancer Centers.” National Cancer Institute, 31 May 2024, www.cancer.gov/research/infrastructure/cancer-centers. Accessed 8 July 2024.
Spector, Julian. "Kastan to Lead Duke Cancer Institute." Chronicle [Duke]. Duke Student Pub., 19 May 2011. Web. 23 Sept. 2014.