Top 10 Cancer Hospitals in the United States

Choosing where to go for your cancer care can be overwhelming. Naturally, you want the best care possible. Each year, U.S. News & World Report releases its annual list of the top 50 hospitals in the United States. In addition to the list of overall best patient care and research, the publication highlights facilities that specialize in certain medical fields, including oncology (cancer). Almost 4,700 U.S. hospitals are considered in the rankings.

Of those topping the list of best cancer hospitals, several have met the standard of care required by the National Cancer Institute to receive the official "Comprehensive Cancer Center" designation. Today, there are only 71 hospitals to 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 the 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 their 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.

MD Anderson Cancer Center

The University of Texas MD Anderson Center in Houston, Texas — Aurora Fierro / Getty Images

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, 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 174,000 people annually and employs more than 22,000 people. They are also the top-ranked hospital in cancer funding from the National Institutes of Health.

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 Sillerman Center for Rehabilitation, and the Bendheim Integrative Medicine Center.

Mayo Clinic

The Mayo Clinic is one of the most well-known hospitals in the world, with a tradition of cutting-edge patient care and a multi-centered cancer unit.

The Mayo Clinic Cancer Center is based on three campuses—Phoenix, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rochester, Minnesota. It offers comprehensive oncological treatment to people from around the world.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Based in Boston, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has long been a leader in cancer research, education, and treatment. They have centers for both adult and pediatric cancers.

The collaborative Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center provides state-of-the-art care for women and men with breast cancer and is staffed with leading surgeons, oncologists, and radiation oncologists, some of whom have pioneered techniques that have become the template for optimal breast cancer treatment.

Cleveland Clinic

The Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center in Ohio boasts more than 700 doctors, researchers, nurses, and technicians delivering cancer-specific care to thousands of patients each year.

The large healthcare system unites doctors and scientists from the Taussig Cancer Center (housed in a 377,000-square-foot facility that opened in 2017), as well as the hospital's 26 other clinical and surgical institutes.

Johns Hopkins Hospital

The cancer center of Johns Hopkins Hospital, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, opened in 1973. They were one of the first treatment programs to be recognized as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute, and also one of the first to be recognized as a "Center of Excellence."

They have locations in both Baltimore and Washington, DC.

Northwestern Memorial Hospital

Northwestern Memorial Hospital, located in downtown Chicago, is home to the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University. Specializing in hematopoietic stem cell transplant and precision medicine, the Cancer Center is affiliated with several research sites. It also provides patient care for many types of cancer, with 10 specialty areas nationally ranked.

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 cancer center is a leader in patient care. Since 2014, the FDA has approved 14 therapies that were developed in UCLA labs.

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

The Samuel Oschin Cancer Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center treats more than 60 types of cancer. Founded in 1902, Cedars-Sinai is the largest nonprofit hospital in the Western United States.

Hospitals of the University of Pennsylvania - Penn Presbyterian

Penn Medicine's Abramson Cancer Center has been an NCI comprehensive cancer center since 1973. They currently see more than 300,000 outpatient visits a year and have more than 600 active clinical trials.

A Word From Verywell

NCI-accredited comprehensive cancer centers are unrivaled in their medical and technical capacity. However, oncologists in your area may also be able to deliver the highest standard of care and the latest in immunotherapy or precision medicines. There are excellent oncologists throughout the United States.

When searching for the oncologist or oncology center best suited to oversee your care, do your research and ask as many questions as possible to make an informed choice.

8 Sources

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