Top 10 Cancer Hospitals in the United States

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 ranking of American hospitals.

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.

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, 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 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.

MD Anderson Cancer Center

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

In 2022, 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 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 have pioneered techniques that have become the template for optimal breast cancer treatment.

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 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 14 therapies developed in UCLA labs.

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 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.

City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center

City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center has been on the U.S. News & World Report's list of best hospitals for more than 10 years. City of Hope is both a cancer treatment center and a research facility. It is especially noted for its high performance in four types of cancer treatment:

Lung cancer
Prostate cancer
Ovarian cancer
Colon cancer

City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center has locations in Southern California.

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.

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.

Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital

Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital is the only Comprehensive Cancer Center in Missouri. This hospital is one of the largest cancer centers in the United States, with more than 450 research scientists and physicians and 12,000 new patients a year.

U.S. News & World Report ranked Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital as "high performing" in colon, lung, ovarian, prostate, and uterine cancer surgery.

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.

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.

9 Sources

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