Roswell Park Cancer Institute

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The Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) is a comprehensive cancer research and treatment center located in Buffalo, New York. Founded in 1898 by Dr. Roswell Park, it was the first dedicated medical facility for cancer treatment and research in the United States. The facility is involved in drug development and conducts clinical research for cancer treatment. Roswell Park Cancer Institute is the only upstate New York facility to hold the National Cancer Institute designation of "comprehensive cancer center" and to serve as a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

The campus spans 27 acres (110,000 m²) in downtown Buffalo and includes 1,500,000 square feet (140,000 m²) of space equally distributed between clinical programs and research/education functions. A hospital building, completed in 1998, houses a comprehensive diagnostic and treatment center. The campus includes a medical research complex and renovated existing education and research space.

Education Annually:

• 250 clinical residents/oncology fellows
• 100 postdoctoral research fellows
• 196 predoctoral graduate students
• 75 summer research students in high school and college, medical and dental schools
• 40 exchange visitors - international research scholars

History

Gerty Cori and Carl Cori jointly won the 1947 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of the Cori cycle at RPMI.

Roswell Park Cancer institute was established in 1898 by Dr. Roswell Park, who was a professor of surgery at the University at Buffalo School of Medicine. It was the first institute to focus on cancer treatment and research in the world. Dr Roswell Park saw that there was a need for cancer care and acted. ^[1]

Dr Park said that “Only through a deliberate well-planned, combined attack from various directions by means fitted for such work could real advances be made and further the relationship of laboratory work, clinical study and education must be closely associated. ^[2]

Research started in three rooms in the University at Buffalo School of Medicine. It did not take long to outgrow those three rooms. Buffalo citizens saw the importance of cancer research and decided to donate money to purchase land and a new building. The biggest contributor was Mrs. William Gratwik who donated $25,000. The Gratwick Research Laboratory of the University at Buffalo was constructed in 1901. It was located on High and Elm in Buffalo, New York. ^[3]

Dr. Park was a busy man; he wrote many books, gave lectures, and was the administrator at the cancer research center. In 1904 Dr. Park stepped down from and Dr. Harvey R. Gaylord took over as the second director of the institute. Dr. Park remained as the head chairman of the board of trustees. ^[4]

Centers of research

RPCI’s multidisciplinary centers include: the Breast Service; Chemotherapy/Infusion; Dermatology, Soft Tissue Melanoma, Thoracic; Lower Gastrointestinal; Upper Gastrointestinal; Genito-Urology; Head & Neck; Pediatric; Gynecology and Hematology/Neurology/Pain. Supporting these Centers are important clinical resources that include, but are not limited to: Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine; Blood Bank/Plateletpheresis; Clinical Research Services; Community Cancer Resource Center; Diagnostic Imaging; Genetics Counseling/Testing; Infectious Disease Service; Nursing; Pain Medicine; Pathology & Laboratory Medicine; Patient Advocacy; Photodynamic Therapy; Psychosocial Support; Radiation Oncology; Rehabilitation (physical, occupational and speech therapy); and Therapeutics (experimental).

RPCI also offers specialized treatments, services and therapies including: High-dose Chemotherapy; Photodynamic Therapy; Gamma Knife; Follow-up Clinic for Long- term Survivors of Childhood Cancer; a Regional Center for Maxillofacial Prosthetics; the Buffalo-Niagara Prostate Cancer Consortium; Clinical Genetics Testing and Counseling; the Center for HIV-related Malignancies; Lymphedema Clinic; Balloon Kyphoplasty; Brain Mapping; Cancer Pain Management Service; High Risk Breast Clinic; Intraoperative MRI; Minimally Invasive Surgical Suite; Mohs’ Surgery; Robotic Surgery and Colorectal Cancer Risk Management Clinic.

Vital statistics

Vital statistics:

• One of Western New York’s top 20 employers
• Cited as one of “The Best Places to Work” in WNY by Business First
• More than 3,200 employees, including 256 physicians and senior scientists, and over 500 nurses
• Average Length of Service: 9.26 years
• Active employees who are members of the 25-Year Club (length of service > 25 years): 365
• Members of The Jurassic Society (retired, but active senior faculty): 19
• Hospital Admission: 4,539
• Outpatient Visits: 168,845
• Patients Under Active Care: 26,041
• Surgical Procedures (Annual) 4,200
• Patient Origin: 39 states, 7 foreign countries
• Number of Beds: 133 (Licensed)
• Average Length of Stay: 7.1 days
• Results of Patient Satisfaction Surveys: Over 98 percent of Roswell Park patients consistently rate the care at Roswell Park as excellent or very good and over 97 percent of patients say they would recommend Roswell Park to other cancer patients.
• Grant monies (per annum): $89.1 million
• Funded Research Projects: 522
• License Agreements: 65
• U.S. Patents: 119
• Collaborations with Biopharmaceutical Companies: 169

Affiliations/Satellites and research partners

• Amherst Center, Williamsville, NY (Chemotherapy and Infusion Satellite)
• Bradford Regional Medical Center, Bradford, PA (Network Affiliate)
• Cayuga Medical Center, Ithaca, NY (Radiation Oncology Satellite and Network Affiliate)
• King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman, Jordan (Network Affiliate)
• King Hussein Cancer Biotechnology Institute, Amman, Jordan (Network Affiliate; Research, Clinical and Education Programs)
• Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, NY (Network Affiliate)
• University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras Campus (Education)
• WCA Hospital, Jamestown, NY (Radiation Satellite and Network Affiliate)
• Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China (Research and Education Programs)

Biotech Spin-offs

• AndroBioSys
• Cleveland BioLabs, Inc.
• Empire Genomics
• PersonaDX

Historical facts

Previous names:

• State Pathological Laboratory of the University at Buffalo, 1898–1911
• State Institute for the Study of Malignant Diseases, 1911–1946
• Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI), 1946–1992

Historical Firsts:

• America’s First Cancer Center
• First example of direct government interest (New York State) in cancer research
• Developed the world’s first chemotherapy program in 1904
• Pioneered the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test
• Pioneered Photodynamic Therapy
• Pioneered 5-FU and Leucovorin for colorectal cancer – the gold standard chemotherapy for this disease
• Collaborated on the landmark studies of the Human Genome project
• Leads the nation in the number of robotic cystectomies performed

Notable staff

• Gerty Cori and Carl Cori jointly won the 1947 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of the Cori cycle at RPMI.

• Thomas Dao (1921–2009), served as director of the breast surgery department from 1957 to 1988, where he developed breast cancer treatment alternatives.^[5]

Sources

National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Centers http://cancercenters.cancer.gov/cancer_centers/rpci.html
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network Member Profile http://www.nccn.org/members/profiles/roswell.asp
Grad Schools Overview http://www.gradschools.com/School/NY_United-States/Roswell-Park-Cancer-Institute/66448.html
National Marrow Donor Program Overview http://www.marrow.org/PATIENT/Plan_for_Tx/Choosing_a_TC/US_NMDP_Transplant_Centers/Detailed_Center_Information/tc_idx.pl?ctr_id=583&p_src=state
U.S. News & World Report Hospital Directory http://health.usnews.com/listings/hospital-directory/new_york/roswell_park_cancer_institute
Core Grant Renewed http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/92711.php
Partnership with the University at Buffalo http://www2.universitybusiness.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=885
Roswell Park Cancer Institute http://www.roswellpark.org
We Are Roswell Park Institute Publication Version July 2008

References

Legacy and History of Roswell Park Cancer Institute by Dr. Edwin Mirand
Roswell Park Cancer Institute (http://www.roswellpark.org/history)

External links

• Roswell Park Cancer Institute Homepage
• Roswell Park Alliance Foundation
• Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus - RPCI
• Roswell Park Cancer Institute Education Home
• The Paint Box Project
• Carly's Club
• Ride for Roswell
• Team Cure Challenge
• Y-Roswell Park for Generation Y
• Gilda Radner Familial Ovarian Cancer Registry
• Roswell Park Cancer Connect Community Site

Coordinates: 42°53′55″N 78°51′54″W / 42.89869°N 78.86498°W / 42.89869; -78.86498