The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

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M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is a cancer research facility in the United States.

Located in Houston, Texas inside the Texas Medical Center, the world's largest medical center. M. D. Anderson was created by an act of the Texas legislature in 1941 making it a component of the The University of Texas System. It was one of the three founding Comprehensive Cancer Centers established by the National Cancer Act of 1971. The hospital currently sees about 70,000 patients per year and employs over 15,000 people.

In 1994 according to U.S. News & World Report, M.D. Anderson was ranked the thirteenth best medical center in the nation.[1] Since 1994 the cancer center has grown to enjoy a listing in U.S. News & World Report as one of the top two cancer hospitals. A healthy rivalry exists between Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer center (MSKCC) in New York and MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC). It currently has "Accreditation with Commendation" by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

M.D. Anderson has had only three full-time directors:

  • Dr. R. Lee Clark (1946-1978)
  • Dr. Charles A. LeMaistre (1978-1996)
  • Dr. John Mendelson (1996-Present)


Contents

[edit] Facility name

Despite being a component of The University of Texas System, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is managed under a nonprofit structure, however recent for profit agreements have caused some to question the motives of the center [2] [3] (see the award winning article "M.D. Anderson private venture raises questions" [4] [5]). Still the hospital enjoys its university status by providing fellowship, internship and residency opportunities to Ph.D.'s and medical professionals. The hospital also offers undergraduate degrees in several allied health fields, including medical technology, radiology, cytogenetics, and dosimetry. The hospital also has Magnet Nursing status by the American Nurses Credentialing Center even though some medical professionals feel this honor is undeserved [6].


[edit] History

The cancer center is named after Monroe Dunaway Anderson, a banker and cotton trader from Jackson, Tennessee. He was a member of a business partnership with Will Clayton that, in the event of one of their deaths, would require a large amount of money lost to estate tax. In order to avoid this Anderson created the M. D. Anderson Foundation with an initial sum of $300,000. In 1939 after Anderson's death the foundation received 19 million dollars.

In 1941 the Texas Legislature had appropriated $500,000 to build a cancer hospital and research center. The Anderson Foundation agreed to match funds with the state if the hospital were located in Houston in the Texas Medical Center (another project of the Anderson Foundation), and named after Anderson.

The hospital started operation in the home of James A. Baker, seeing 46 patients before moving to its current location in 1954.

[edit] Research

M. D. Anderson is focused on research with the stated mission of "making cancer history". In 2004 more than 11,000 patients were part of clinical research projects making it the largest program of its kind in the United States.

The hospital ranks first in the number of National Cancer Institute grants, spending over $313 million on research in 2004.

Some landmark research conducted at the Center Center includes:

  • Initial study of radiation therapy
  • First successful use of chemotherapy
  • Recommendation for mammograms for screening purposes
  • Identified the clinical relevance of chromosomal abnormalities which significantly increased the use of clinical Cytogenetics
  • Discovered T-cell receptor

[edit] Growth

The hospital has grown a great deal since then and continues to grow, increasing in size by 50% in the last five years alone. The complex now includes an in-patient hospital, clinical research building, out-patient clinic building, a faculty office building and a patient-family hotel in addition to many off-site labs for clinical and research use, with many other buildings under construction.

[edit] Buildings in the center

  • Main Hospital
    • R. Lee Clark Clinic
    • Alkek Hospital
    • Charles A. LeMaistre Clinic
  • South Campus Research Building I
  • South Campus Research Building II
  • Naomi Research Facility
  • Faculty Center
  • Houston Main Building
  • Ambulatory Clinical Building
  • Cancer Prevention Building
  • George and Cynthia Mitchell Basic Sciences Research Building
  • Proton Therapy Building
  • Smith Research Building
  • Rotary House

[edit] Buildings under construction

  • Faculty Center II

[edit] See also

[edit] External links


The University of Texas System
Arlington • Austin • Brownsville • Dallas • El Paso • Pan American • Permian Basin • San Antonio • Tyler
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center • UT Medical Branch • UT Southwestern Medical Center • UTHSC Houston • UTHSC San Antonio • UTHC Tyler
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