It’s been 40 years since the New Mexico State Legislature made its first appropriation to establish a cancer center to serve the people of New Mexico. We’ve grown and changed greatly since then – but we hold fast to our mission to provide world-class care to all New Mexicans affected by cancer. Last year alone, we saw nearly 10,000 patients from every county in New Mexico and the surrounding region in more than 100,000 patient visits. We now treat more than 60 percent of New Mexico’s adults and nearly all of the state’s children diagnosed with cancer. Our team of cancer experts is the largest and most experienced in New Mexico: we’re home to 83 board-certified oncologists and 124 cancer scientists recruited from some of the nation’s leading institutions.

In recent years, the UNM Cancer Center has evolved from an excellent regional institution into a nationally recognized cancer center whose clinicians and scientists are making important contributions to cancer treatment, diagnosis and prevention. In 2005, we achieved our first designation from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the leading federal agency for cancer research and training. We’re the only cancer center in New Mexico designated by the NCI, and one of just 67 in the nation. NCI-designated cancer centers are acclaimed for their scientific excellence, contributions to cancer research and delivery of medical advances to patients and their families. In 2010, our designation was competitively renewed by a team of top cancer experts, affirming our national leadership in cancer care and research.

Our researchers are currently supported by $65 million in federal and private funds – funds that advance New Mexico’s economic and technological development even as they improve the health and well-being of the state’s residents. Recent groundbreaking discoveries in women’s cancers, targeted nanotherapeutics and childhood leukemia, among other areas, underscore both the caliber of our research and the commitment of our researchers. As the Official Cancer Center of New Mexico, we are translating those discoveries into better diagnosis and treatment for all New Mexicans. In particular, we are leading the way in investigating and addressing the causes and consequences of cancer health disparities among the diverse peoples of the Southwest.