Program in Oncology
The University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMGCCC) is a joint program of the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the University of Maryland Medical System. In 2008, UMGCC was named a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center, one of only 64 such centers in the country. UMGCCC is also ranked among the nation's 50 top cancer centers by U.S. News and World Report.
Within the School of Medicine and the other UMB schools, UMGCCC serves as the umbrella for all cancer-related activities on campus. Cancer Center members have academic appointments in various clinical and basic science departments of the School of Medicine and the schools of pharmacy, dentistry, social work, and nursing. Activities of the Cancer Center include basic and translational cancer research, student and house officer teaching, and a strong focus on new therapies in both an inpatient 46-bed unit and outpatient setting. The bone marrow transplant unit, on the 9th floor of the Gudelsky Tower, comprises 16 private rooms along with nursing and staff support space. In addition to full-time attending services on medical oncology and hematology, Cancer Center members participate in multidisciplinary clinical programs centered around specific cancers (e.g., breast, thoracic, genitourinary, gynecologic, head and neck, gastroenterologic and hematologic malignancies) with specialists from surgical and radiation oncology to provide integrated care for the cancer patient.
The UMGCCC has substantial NIH funding. The center is a strong participant in new drug development and trials, and is a member of several national cooperative groups. UMGCCC has a historic and sustained track record of clinical trials in human cancer. In FY 2008, 1,030 patients were accrued to clinical trials across UMGCCC and its affiliates. African Americans represent more than 40 percent of our patients, and nearly half of them take part in clinical trials at our Cancer Center. The Cancer Center has also established strong translational research programs in experimental therapeutics, hormone responsive cancers, molecular biology and genetics, viral oncology, tumor immunology, and cancer prevention and control. Cancer Center members have a strong commitment to intra- and inter-institutional cooperative cancer research.
Students and residents participate in weekly grand rounds and conferences, and students are encouraged to become involved in research projects with cancer center faculty members. UMGCCC sponsors Frontiers in Oncology, an ongoing cancer research seminar series that attracts nationally known speakers.
