"I chose to participate in a clinical trial because it was a way to get involved in cutting-edge research."
Cancer survivor Tom Rodabaugh and his wife Vickie Rodabaugh, NCCCP St. Francis Cancer Center, Grand Island, Nebraska See more photos
Improving Access. Advancing Care. Expanding Research... In the Community
Local communities benefit from having a cancer center that is affiliated with the National Cancer institute. Like the larger, mainly university-based NCI-designated cancer centers, the NCCCP community hospitals are working to improve patient access to cutting-edge cancer therapies. Their patient-care teams of physicians, nurses, radiologists and other professionals engage in scientific collaboration with other NCCCP hospitals, oncology experts at the NCI, and other cancer research organizations. This approach leads to an environment where patient treatment plans are developed from evidence-based practices with the goal of providing patients with the best possible outcomes.
Community Hospitals Treat Most Cancer Patients
Community hospitals diagnose and treat more than eight out of 10 U.S. cancer patients. So it makes sense for NCI to partner with local hospitals to deliver an enhanced level of cancer care to patients in the communities where they live.
The NCCCP is one of a number of NCI programs focused on community-based cancer care including the Community Networks Program (CNP), the Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP) and the Minority Based Community Clinical Oncology Program (MB-CCOP).
Patient Benefits
Patients at NCCCP hospitals benefit from access to:
- Multidisciplinary, state-of-the-art treatment
- Cancer education and screening services
- Clinical trials that are testing new cancer treatments
- Enhanced survivorship and palliative care programs
- Genetic testing and counseling services
A National Institutes of Health Institute
Part of the National Institutes of Health, NCI is the federal government's principal agency for cancer research and training. NCI established the NCCCP network of community hospitals in 2007 to complement the extraordinary cancer care practiced at the nation's largest, academic-based cancer centers, and to offer that high level of care in community hospitals, where patients can remain close to their homes, work and family.
Forty percent of NCCCP program funding is dedicated to reducing cancer healthcare disparities in the communities in which the NCCCP hospitals are located.
The NCCCP cancer centers reach out to medically underserved members of their communities by offering free cancer screening events, cancer education programs, patient navigation services to improve care coordination, and formation of partnerships with local community organizations, such as churches and advocacy groups.
All NCCCP hospitals are required to have a policy that all patients screened for cancer are offered treatment for cancer regardless of their ability to pay.
Read about the NCCCP cancer centers and how they are reaching out to their communities.
- California
- St. Joseph Health
The Center for Cancer Prevention and Treatment
Orange, California
Co-Principal Investigator: Jay Harness, jay.harness@stjoe.org
Co-Principal Investigator: Maria Gonzalez, maria1.gonzalez@stjoe.org
Administrative Lead: Pam Hockett, Pamela.hockett@stjoe.org - Colorado
- Penrose St. Francis Health Services
Penrose Cancer center
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Catholic Health Initiatives system Principal Investigator: Richard Deming, rdeming@mercydesmoines.org
Site Principal Investigator: James Young, james.young@usoncology.com
Administrative Lead: Peggy McKinney, peggymckinney@catholichealth.net - Connecticut
- Hartford Hospital
Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center
Hartford, Connecticut
Principal Investigator: Andrew Salner, asalner@harthosp.org
Administrative Lead: Susan Wright, sswright@harthosp.org - Delaware
- Helen F. Graham Cancer Center at Christiana Care
Newark, Delaware
Principal Investigator: Nicholas Petrelli, npetrelli@christianacare.org
Administrative Lead: Pat Swanson, pswanson@christianacare.org - Georgia
- Northside Hospital
Northside Cancer Institute
Atlanta, Georgia
Principal Investigator: Guilherme Cantuaria, guilherme.cantuaria@northside.com
Administrative Lead: Patti Owen, patti.owen@northside.com - St. Joseph’s/Candler
Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion
Savannah, Georgia
Principal Investigator: H. A. Zaren, drzaren@sjchs.org
Administrative Lead: Nancy Johnson, johnsonn@sjchs.org - Hawaii
- The Queen's Medical Center
The Queen's Cancer Center
Honolulu, Hawaii
Principal Investigator: Paul Morris, paulmorrismd@gmail.com
Administrative Lead: Debbie Ishihara-Wong, dwong@queens.org - Iowa
- Mercy Medical Center – Des Moines
Mercy Cancer Center
Des Moines, Iowa
Principal Investigator: Richard Deming, rdeming@mercydesmoines.org
Administrative Lead: Jackie Frost-Kunnen, jfrost.kunnen@mercydesmoines.org - Kentucky
- Norton Suburban Hospital
Norton Cancer Institute
Louisville, Kentucky
Principal Investigator: Sandra Brooks, Sandra.brooks@nortonhealthcare.org
Administrative Lead: Jim Steggeman, jim.steggeman@nortonhealthcare.org - Louisiana
- Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center
Mary Bird Perkins-Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Principal Investigator/Medical Director: David Hanson, NCCCPHanson@marybird.com
Co-Principal Investigator/Admin Lead: Renea Duffin, renead@marybird.com - Michigan
- Saint Mary's Health Care
The Lacks Cancer Center
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Principal Investigator: Tom Gribbin, gribbint@trinity-health.org
Administrative Lead: Kenda Klotz, klotzk@trinity-health.org
- Montana
- Billings Clinic
Billings Clinic Cancer Center
Billings, Montana
Principal Investigator: John Schallenkamp, jschallenkamp@billingsclinic.org
Administrative Lead: Jo Duszkiewicz, jduszkiewicz@billingsclinic.org - Nebraska
- Saint Francis Medical Center
Saint Francis Cancer Treatment Center
Grand Island, Nebraska
Catholic Health Initiatives system Principal Investigator: Richard Deming, rdeming@mercydesmoines.org
Site Principal Investigator: Mehmet Copur, mcopur@sfmc-gi.org
Administrative Lead, Catholic Health Initiatives system: Peggy McKinney, peggymckinney@catholichealth.net - Good Samaritan Hospital
Kearney, Nebraska
Catholic Health Initiatives system Principal Investigator: Richard Deming, rdeming@mercydesmoines.org
Site Principal Investigator: George Bascom, georgeb51@hotmail.com
Administrative Lead, Catholic Health Initiatives system: Peggy McKinney, peggymckinney@catholichealth.net - Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center
Saint Elizabeth Cancer Institute
Lincoln, Nebraska
Catholic Health Initiatives system Principal Investigator: Richard Deming, rdeming@mercydesmoines.org
Site Principal Investigator: Kevin Yiee, kyiee@stez.org
Administrative Lead, Catholic Health Initiatives system: Peggy McKinney, peggymckinney@catholichealth.net - Pennsylvania
- Lehigh Valley Health Network
John and Dorothy Morgan Cancer Center
a part of Lehigh Valley Health Network
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Principal Investigator: Debbie Salas-Lopez, Debbie.salas@lvhn.org
Administrative Lead: Keith Weinhold, keith.weinhold@lvhn.org - Geisinger Medical Center
Geisinger Medical Center Cancer Institute
Danville, Pennsylvania
Co-Principal Investigator: Victor Vogel, vgvogel@geisinger.edu
Co-Principal Investigator: Matthew Facktor, mafacktor@geisinger.edu
Administrative Lead: Thomas Graves, tagraves@geisinger.edu - Einstein Healthcare Network
Einstein Cancer Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Principal Investigator: William Tester, tester@einstein.edu
Administrative Lead: Christopher Minnick, minnickc@einstein.edu - South Carolina
- Spartanburg Regional
Gibbs Cancer Center
Spartanburg, South Carolina
Principal Investigator: James Bearden, jbearden@srhs.com
Administrative Lead: Lucy Gansauer, lgansauer@srhs.com - South Dakota
- Sanford USD Medical Center
Sanford Cancer Center
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Co-Principal Investigator: Thomas Asfeldt, Thomas.asfeldt@sanfordhealth.org
Co-Principal Investigator: Maria Bell, maria.bell@sanfordhealth.org
Administrative Lead: Kristi Olesen, Kristi.olesen@sanfordhealth.org - Wisconsin
- Gundersen Health System
Gundersen Lutheran Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders
La Crosse, Wisconsin
Principal Investigator: Alcee Jumonville, ajjumonv@gundluth.org
Administrative Lead: Sarah Archer, SJArcher@gundluth.org



