By Shelley Kofler, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-916753.mp3
Dallas, TX – UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas says its being included in an elite list of 66 institutions recognized for cancer research and treatment.
The Simmons Cancer Center at UT Southwestern has become the first medical center in North Texas to receive a National Cancer Institute designation. It comes with a $7.5 million grant.
Cancer Center Director Dr. James Willson, says it took years of work to achieve this "gold standard."
Willson: It's an intense evaluation that takes years to qualify for. Specifically we're asked to demonstrate the cancer-related discoveries that are having a significant impact. It's very important to demonstrate these discoveries are being provided to our patients as quickly as possible both in terms of treatments as well as cancer preventative strategies.
In recognizing UT Southwestern the National Cancer Institute singled out the research being done by its lung cancer and drug discovery programs.