Why NCI Designation Matters

One of our most important institutional goals right now is earning National Cancer Institute designation. I want to take a moment to explain why this matters so much, not just to UMMC and our Cancer Center and Research Institute, but also to Mississippi and everyone who calls this state home. (And residents of neighboring states, too.) 

NCI designation is the federal government’s highest recognition for cancer centers. It is awarded to institutions that demonstrate excellence in cancer research, clinical care, prevention, education and community outreach — and, critically, the ability to integrate all those areas into a single, coordinated cancer program.  

There are 73 NCI-Designated Cancer Centers in the country, most connected to major academic medical centers. Mississippi doesn’t have one. Neither do Louisiana or Arkansas. That means the Deep South has no local access to this level of cancer care. And in Mississippi, UMMC is the only institution capable of applying for and reaching this goal. It truly is us or no one. We believe this is an ethical imperative. For Mississippians facing cancer, traveling out of state — away from family, friends and support systems — shouldn’t be the only path to state-of-the-art care. 

Patients treated at NCI-Designated Cancer Centers benefit from:  

• Greater access to clinical trials, including first-in-human and early-phase studies not available elsewhere  
• Multidisciplinary care teams that bring together surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and researchers  
• Evidence-based treatment guidelines informed by the latest research  

Most importantly, studies show that patients who receive care at an NCI-Designated Cancer Center can experience improvements in long-term survival of up to 25%. For Mississippi patients, NCI designation means better outcomes without the burden of leaving the state for care.  

The need here is undeniable. Mississippi carries the highest cancer burden in the nation. More than 16,000 Mississippians are diagnosed with cancer each year, and our state has the highest cancer mortality rate in the country. That’s why NCI designation is one of our top priorities and no other initiative has the same potential to save lives on this scale. 

Our vision is to deliver this care inside a dedicated, five-story center where treatment, research, education and collaboration all come together under one roof to offer hope and healing. We are actively fundraising for this effort now, focused on larger, cornerstone gifts. A public-facing campaign is coming soon. Also, we have asked for help from our friends in the Mississippi Legislature and the federal government. 

NCI-designated centers are engines of discovery. Gaining NCI designation would strengthen our competitiveness for federal research funding, support shared research infrastructure, encourage collaboration across disciplines and attract top scientific talent to UMMC. 

These resources allow discoveries made in the laboratory to move more quickly into clinical trials and ultimately into standard patient care. With NCI designation, growth becomes coordinated, strategic and exponentially more impactful. 

Another issue Mississippi faces is brain drain. Our best and our brightest often leave the state because of a lack of opportunities. NCI-designated centers are training grounds for the future cancer workforce. Gaining this designation will expand opportunities for medical students, residents, fellows and graduate students, will enhance mentorship and research training and, importantly, will help retain health care professionals in the state. 

The need in Mississippi is great, but so is the progress already underway and our potential. Reaching NCI designation won’t be easy, but UMMC has met daunting challenges before. We can do this. 

This journey will require sustained, institution-wide commitment — not just from the Cancer Center and Research Institute, but also from across UMMC and in the communities we serve. It will mean continued faculty recruitment and retention, stronger research infrastructure and funding, advanced models of care, expanded education and training, and deeper community engagement across the state. 

NCI designation is a long-term investment in building a cancer ecosystem capable of changing Mississippi’s most urgent health outcomes. For UMMC, this goal isn’t optional, it’s essential to building A Healthier Mississippi.