patients treated at NCI designated cancer centers live longer

[Lani]

Med Care Res Rev. 2009 May 19. [Epub ahead of print]
Influence of NCI-Cancer Center Attendance on Mortality in Lung, Breast, Colorectal, and Prostate Cancer Patients.

Onega T, Duell EJ, Shi X, Demidenko E, Gottlieb D, Goodman DC.
The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, and Department of Community and Family Medicine, Dartmouth Medical Sc.
Some evidence links cancer outcomes to place of service, but the influence of NCI (National Cancer Institute) cancer centers on outcomes has not been established. We compared mortality for NCI cancer center attendees versus nonattendees. This retrospective cohort study included individuals with incident cancers of the lung, breast, colon/rectum, or prostate from 1998 to 2002 (N = 211,084) from SeeR (Surveillance, epidemiology, and end Results)-Medicare linked data, with claims through 2003. We examined the relation of NCI cancer center attendance with 1- and 3-year all-cause and cancer-specific mortality using multilevel logistic regression models. NCI cancer center attendance was associated with a significant reduction in the odds of 1- and 3-year all-cause and cancer-specific mortality. The mortality risk reduction associated with NCI cancer center attendance was most apparent in late-stage cancers and was evident across all levels of comorbidities. Attendance at NCI cancer centers is associated with a significant survival benefit for the four major cancers among Medicare beneficiaries.
PMID: 19454624

[Rich66]

Hmmm. I have to say we had a bad experience at one of these NCI centers. I came away with the impression it's more about individual decision makers as opposed to the institution. Might be going back there for some scans...they have the bucks for nice gadgets.

[Cannon]

I was confused - so I looked this up. This is not the same as "Cancer Centers of America" - if you follow the link, you can search either in your state, or by institution name to see if the hospital is an NCI Cancer Center.

https://cissecure.nci.nih.gov/factsheet/FactsheetSearch.aspx?FSType=1.2

National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated Cancer Centers are recognized for their scientific excellence and extensive resources focused on cancer and cancer-related problems.

The Cancer Centers are a major source of discovery of the nature of cancer and of the development of more effective approaches to cancer prevention, diagnosis, and therapy. They also deliver medical advances to patients and their families, educate health-care professionals and the public, and reach out to underserved populations. They may be freestanding organizations, a center within an academic institution, or part of a consortium of institutions.

NCI-designation is voluntary and is awarded via a grant using a peer-review process. All NCI-designated cancer centers receive substantial financial support from NCI grants and are reevaluated each time their cancer center support grant comes up for renewal (generally every 3 to 5 years). The NCI recognizes two types of centers: Cancer Centers and Comprehensive Cancer Centers, based on the type of grant received. In terms of patient care, there is no difference in the quality of care they each provide.

For more information on NCI-designated Cancer Centers, go to the Cancer Centers Program on the Internet at: http://cancercenters.cancer.gov (http://cancercenters.cancer.gov/)