NCCN Announces Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center as 32nd Member Institution

News provided by

National Comprehensive Cancer Network

Apr 04, 2022, 10:03 ET

Indiana University joins alliance of more than 30 leading academic cancer centers defining and advancing high-quality, high-value, patient-centered cancer care globally.

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa., April 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network^® (NCCN^®) announced Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center will be joining the not-for-profit alliance of leading cancer centers as the 32^nd Member Institution. NCCN was founded by 13 original Member Institutions in 1995 and has grown steadily over the years. The 32 Member Institutions serve people with cancer (or risk of cancer) from diverse regions and demographics, always staying at the forefront for research and patient care.

"The IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center is the perfect addition to our growing network—and our only Member Institution in the state of Indiana," said Robert W. Carlson, MD, Chief Executive Officer, NCCN. "The center's Office of Community Outreach and Engagement works with partner organizations around the state to improve the health of all, especially in underrepresented populations. They also have international reach, including work in western Kenya with an underserved population of more than 18 million people, that has been called a model for addressing global cancer disparities and health equity by the National Cancer Institute."

IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center is Indiana's sole NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center and is home to the world's only healthy breast tissue bank serving as a resource to investigators around the world. The center has been involved in ground-breaking work in finding a cure for testicular cancer and pioneering cord blood transplantation. It is responsible for more than 130,000 adult outpatient visits each year; is a site for more than 300 active clinical trials at any time; and provides training for nearly 2,000 students, residents, and fellows every year.

"We are thrilled to become a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network," Kelvin Lee, MD, Director of the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, said. "We look forward to sharing our expertise with NCCN and collaborating with many of the nation's leading cancer centers, which will ultimately benefit patients."

By joining NCCN, IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center will have a role in determining the recognized standard for clinical direction and policy in cancer management, by contributing to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines^®). The center will appoint expert clinicians to serve on more than 60 interdisciplinary panels responsible for maintaining the most frequently-updated clinical practice guidelines available in any area of medicine. The 83 different subject-specific NCCN Guidelines^® cover 97% of cancer incidences in the United States, plus additional topics like screening, prevention, genetic/familial risk, supportive care, distress, and survivorship. NCCN Guidelines are available free for non-commercial use at NCCN.org or via the Virtual Library of NCCN Guidelines^® app. The recommendations are also used to create versions accessible to patients and caregivers in the library of NCCN Guidelines for Patients^® and adapted for different languages and resource levels via NCCN International Adaptations and Translations and other global resources.

Prior to becoming part of NCCN, IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center joined 75 other centers, associations, and advocacy organizations as part of NCCN's campaign with the American Cancer Society to encourage the safe resumption of cancer screening following a dangerous decline at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more at NCCN.org/resume-screening.

About the National Comprehensive Cancer Network
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network^® (NCCN^®) is a not-for-profit alliance of leading cancer centers devoted to patient care, research, and education. NCCN is dedicated to improving and facilitating quality, effective, equitable, and accessible cancer care so all patients can live better lives. The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines^®) provide transparent, evidence-based, expert consensus recommendations for cancer treatment, prevention, and supportive services; they are the recognized standard for clinical direction and policy in cancer management and the most thorough and frequently-updated clinical practice guidelines available in any area of medicine. The NCCN Guidelines for Patients^® provide expert cancer treatment information to inform and empower patients and caregivers, through support from the NCCN Foundation^®. NCCN also advances continuing education, global initiatives, policy, and research collaboration and publication in oncology. Visit NCCN.org for more information and follow NCCN on Facebook @NCCNorg, Instagram @NCCNorg, and Twitter @NCCN.