BACKGROUND
The historical development of the national network of cancer centers: a roadmap for the national network of depression centers
The historical development of the national network of cancer centers provides a roadmap for starting a national network of depression centers (NCI Cancer Bulletin, March 15, 2005, Volume 2, No.11).
In 1960, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) began providing grants to cancer-focused interdisciplinary centers that had already been created with state or private funds, upon the recommendation of the NIH Task Force on Categorical Research Centers. In 1971, President Nixon signed the National Cancer Act, authorizing $1.5 billion for a National Cancer Program and the establishment of 15 new NCI-designated Cancer Centers. The original intent of Congress was to have a center within 200 miles of every U.S. resident, enhancing the application of cancer discoveries to patients and people at risk.
"The National Cancer Institute should closely study the use of cancer research centers for it is here that many impressive research findings are being and will be uncovered. It is also here that the effectiveness of these findings can be proved."
- The National Cancer Act of 1971 (P.L. 92-218)
In 1973, eight NCI-designated Cancer Centers were categorized as “comprehensive,” according to criteria established by the National Cancer Advisory Board (NCAB). In 1975, the Senate endorsed the establishment of 30 – 35 NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers to permit an estimated 80 percent of the U.S. population access within a reasonable driving distance. The current distribution of Comprehensive Cancer Centers is shown below.
There are approximately 35 additional Centers in the country that are not designated as “Comprehensive.”
In theory, any institution that conducts cancer research can apply to become an NCI Center, but as stated by Dr. Linda Weiss, Chief, NCI’s Cancer Center Branch, “the requirements are steep: a large cancer-relevant grant funding base; substantial institutional commitment in the form of space, resources, and authorities provided to the Center director; organization of transdisciplinary research across all scientific areas of the institution to ‘make the whole greater than the sum of its parts;’ and, specifically for comprehensive centers, community outreach, education, and training activities. The average NCI grant base for existing centers is somewhere around $11 million…” (NCI Cancer Bulletin, March 15, 2005, Volume 2, No.11). Dr. Weiss also expressed her view that perhaps the major advantages of Cancer Centers is that they “have an environment that fosters basic discovery and its translation into cancer treatment, prevention, and control activities; and the ability to network both within their community and with each other, so there's extraordinary research power.” The NCI Cancer Center network has also become a powerful voice for continuing support. The growth pattern is impressive.
These same advantages are now needed to attack depression and bipolar illnesses.