The best cancer hospitals in the United States include the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and the Mayo Clinic. These are just three of the "top" cancer hospitals named by the U.S. News & World Report in its annual Top-Ranked Hospitals for Cancer in the U.S.
The U.S. News & World Report ranks hospitals based on criteria, such as 30-day mortality, 30-day readmission, and how long patients tend to stay. Each year the publication evaluates a total of 913 cancer hospitals.
This article discusses the best cancer hospitals in America, how they are chosen, and what that means for you as a patient.
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Comprehensive Cancer Centers
Many of the highest-rated cancer hospitals have met the standard of care required by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to receive the official "Comprehensive Cancer Center" designation. Today, 57 hospitals have received such status.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, there are many reasons you may want to get care from a Comprehensive Cancer Center rather than a local oncology practice or clinic.
It may be that your disease is an uncommon form of cancer, for instance, or one that is resistant to standard therapies. You may also be seeking a second opinion from someone who is a leader in the field, especially for cancers that are rarer or harder to treat.
Whatever your motivation, these top-rated facilities are guaranteed to offer the highest level of care and expertise. Many engage in cutting-edge research and may be able to offer treatments that are either experimental or not yet available in other facilities.
1
MD Anderson Cancer Center
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In 2023, the U.S. News & World Report chose the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, as the number one cancer hospital in the United States. This hospital is one of the three original Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the United States. MD Anderson is widely considered to be one of the foremost cancer hospitals in the world.
The MD Anderson Center provides care to over 179,000 people annually and employs nearly 25,000. They are also the top-ranked hospital in cancer funding from the National Institutes of Health.
2
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is a non-profit hospital located in New York City. It was founded in 1884 as the New York Cancer Hospital by a group of philanthropists and businessmen, including John Jacob Astor.
The center treats hundreds of subtypes of cancers each year at its many locations in New York State and New Jersey. These include the Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center, the Sidney Kimmel Center for Prostate and Urologic Cancers, and the Bendheim Integrative Medicine Center.
3
Mayo Clinic
The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, is the original and largest Mayo Clinic campus. It is one of the most well-known hospitals in the world, with a tradition of cutting-edge care.
The Mayo Clinic Cancer Center is based on three campuses—Rochester, Minnesota; Phoenix, Arizona; and Jacksonville, Florida. Mayo offers comprehensive oncological treatment to people from more than 140 countries.
4
UCLA Medical Center
The Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCLA Health has been an NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center since 1976.
With over 500 scientists and physicians doing research and providing care, and more than 400 active clinical trials for cancer care, this center is a leader in patient care. In 2023, U.S. News & World Report ranked UCLA Health first in cancer care in California.
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5
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Based in Boston, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has long been a leader in cancer research, education, and treatment. Dana-Farber's sole focus since 1947 has been to provide innovativeadult and pediatric cancer care and treatment.
The Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center is a collaboration between Dana-Farber Cancer Institute andBrigham and Women's Hospitalto provide state-of-the-art care for women and men with all types of cancer, including breast cancer. The center is staffed with leading surgeons, oncologists, and radiation oncologists. Some have pioneered techniques that have become the template for optimal breast cancer treatment.
6
Hospitals of the University of Pennsylvania - Penn Presbyterian
Moving up to sixth place in the 2023-2024 U.S. News Best Hospitals for Cancer rankings is the Hospitals of the University of Pennsylvania-Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadelphia.
Penn Medicine's Abramson Cancer Center has been an NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center since 1973. It provides over 81,000 chemotherapy and 66,000 radiation treatments annually and runs nearly 600 active clinical trials.
7
UCSF Health-UCSF Medical Center
The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Medical Center is a research and teaching hospital in San Francisco, California. It is the medical center of the University of California, San Francisco, and is affiliated with the UCSF School of Medicine.
In 2015 UCSF opened a new 289-bed hospital serving women, children, and people with cancer in the Mission Bay neighborhood of San Francisco. UCSF hosts three hospitals: UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, UCSF Betty Irene Moore Women's Hospital, and UCSF Bakar Cancer Hospital, and an outpatient facility.
8
City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center
City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center's Duarte, California, location outside Los Angeles has repeatedly made U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals for Cancer rankings list.
City of Hope Duarte is home to 1,000 scientists, 500 physicians, and 10,000 employees. It is especially noted for its high performance in four types of cancer treatment:
- Lung
- Prostate
- Ovarian
- Colon
City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center has locations in Southern California.
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9
Johns Hopkins Hospital
The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland climbed to ninth place in the 2023-2024 U.S. News Best Hospitals for Cancer rankings.
For more than 125 years, the Johns Hopkins Hospital has been at the forefront of disease diagnosis and treatment. As the teaching hospital affiliated with the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, it includes the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center and the Sydney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center.
10
Cleveland Clinic
The Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center inOhio boasts more than 700 doctors, researchers, nurses, and technicians delivering cancer-specific care to thousands of people each year.
The large healthcare system unites healthcare providers and scientists from the Taussig Cancer Center (housed in a 377,000-square-foot facility that opened in 2017) and the hospital's 26 other clinical and surgical institutes.
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Summary
Many of the best cancer hospitals in the United States are designated as "Comprehensive Cancer Centers" by the National Cancer Institute. These hospitals often provide cutting-edge treatment and may be good choices for people who have uncommon cancers or cancers that have proven hard to treat.
Some of America's top cancer hospitals include the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and the Mayo Clinic.
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