The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center is the Official Cancer Center of New Mexico and the only National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center within a 500-mile radius. Its 124 board-certified oncology specialty physicians include cancer surgeons in every specialty (abdominal, thoracic, bone and soft tissue, neurosurgery, genitourinary, gynecology, and head and neck cancers), adult and pediatric hematologists/medical oncologists, gynecologic oncologists, and radiation oncologists. They, along with more than 600 other cancer healthcare professionals (nurses, pharmacists, nutritionists, navigators, psychologists, and social workers), provide treatment to 65% of New Mexico’s cancer patients from all across the state and partner with community health systems statewide to provide cancer care closer to home. They treated 13,578 patients in 105,748 ambulatory clinic visits in addition to in-patient hospitalizations at UNM Hospital. A total of 1,610 patients participated in cancer clinical trials, including 696 patients who participated in clinical trials testing new cancer treatments that include tests of novel cancer prevention strategies and cancer genome sequencing. The 132 cancer research scientists affiliated with the UNMCCC were awarded $34.5 million in federal and private grants and contracts for cancer research projects and published 301 high-quality publications. Promoting economic development, they filed more than 30 new patents since FY16, and since 2010, have launched 11 new biotechnology start-up companies. Scientists associated with the UNMCCC Cancer Control & Disparities have conducted more than 60 statewide community-based cancer education, prevention, screening, and behavioral intervention studies involving more than 10,000 New Mexicans.
Finally, the physicians, scientists, and staff have provided education and training experiences to more than 230 high school, undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral fellowship students in cancer research and cancer health care delivery.
