The NYU Cancer Institute is a world leader in the care of patients with cancer. Our mission is to discover the origins of human cancer and to use that knowledge to eradicate the personal and societal burden of cancer in our community, the nation, and the world. What sets us apart?
We are a translational cancer center. Our scientists and other researchers share a goal of understanding how cancer develops at the molecular level, and how we can harness that knowledge to reduce the risk of cancer and to treat the disease. We constantly seek and create new opportunities for collaboration between investigators within our own walls, those located elsewhere in the New York University network of campuses (such as the Washington Square campus in lower Manhattan), and researchers at other institutions.
We take a team approach to cancer. Cancer is a complex problem requiring complex solutions. This means bringing together experts from a variety of disciplines to create collaborative research endeavors and clinical care teams. We offer the full continuum of personalized care, from prevention through diagnosis, treatment, and post-treatment support. While we offer the most up-to-date care for all cancers, we are accelerating the pace of our research and clinical care for all types of human cancer. In addition, we are now launching special emphasis programs in cancer healthcare disparities, molecularly-targeted therapy, lung cancer, melanoma, and signaling pathways involved in cancer, such as those driven by the ras and mTOR molecules.
We are part of the NYU Langone Medical Center [1], a world-renowned academic medical center located in midtown Manhattan. So if a patient who is being treated for cancer has another non-cancer medical need, such as heart disease, we have expert medical staff in place to provide that care, too. Our focus is on treating the patient, not the disease. Patients can get all the care they need in one convenient location.
We serve a diverse patient population. Our patients come from all cultural backgrounds, from a variety of socioeconomic levels, and from many different countries. Since cancer patterns and outcomes may vary according to such demographics, this means our doctors and other healthcare professionals learn a great deal about cancer by observing its presentation and behavior in different patient groups. Such knowledge can lead to the development of better diagnostic and treatment services for all patients, regardless of their backgrounds.