The National Comprehensive Cancer Network and NCCN Member Institutions

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network^® (NCCN^®) is a nonprofit alliance of 21 of the world’s leading cancer centers. With the contributions of clinical professionals at NCCN Member Institutions, NCCN develops resources that present valuable information to members of the healthcare system. As an arbiter of high-quality cancer care, the NCCN promotes continuous quality improvement and recognizes the significance of creating clinical practice guidelines appropriate for use by patients, clinicians, and other healthcare decision-makers. The primary goal of all NCCN initiatives is to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of oncology practice so patients can live better lives.

Each year at NCCN Member Institutions, more than 160,000 new patients receive cancer care from world-renowned experts who are recognized for dealing with complex, aggressive, or rare cancers. NCCN Member Institutions pioneered the concept of the multidisciplinary team approach to patient care and continue to integrate programs in patient care, research, and education. Forty-one Nobel Prize winners have served on the faculties of NCCN Member Institutions.

There is a wealth of information on NCCN’s Web site for healthcare professionals (www. nccn.org), including screening criteria, surveillance guidelines, and treatment guidelines that have now been expanded to include survivorship care guidelines. There is also a specific Web site for patients (www.nccn.com) that provides a listing of the Member Institutions and information in layman’s terms that helps patients understand the phases of treatment and what they might expect as they embark on their own cancer care.