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“We proudly note that the overall four-year survival for cancer patients is higher at Penn Medicine compared to the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) survival rates. The greatest clinical care and groundbreaking therapies by our faculty and staff enhance not only survival, but also comfort patients, their families and friends.”

- Chi V. Dang, MD, PhD, Director, Abramson Cancer Center

At the Abramson Cancer Center, we are committed to providing the very best care to our patients. This commitment is reflected in the capabilities and dedication of our staff, the availability of the latest diagnostic and treatment approaches and technology including clinical trials, and in the health and survival of our patients.

Penn’s cancer programs are accredited by the Commission on Cancer (COC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACOS). This accreditation is a quality “seal of approval” signifying adherence to quality standards that ensure access to the full scope of cancer services

Providing comparative cancer survival information is one of the most important features of the COC. Information about cancer patients’ care at Penn is collected and entered into the NCDB of the COC. Survival rates are calculated and compared to all hospitals accredited by the COC. This national database represents more than 1,500 Commission-accredited cancer programs in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Recent outcomes data on our patients’ survival are presented below. The NCDB numbers reflect cases diagnosed between 2003 and 2006. Penn’s survival rates include cases diagnosed in 2009.

Survival is shown at diagnosis, and at one, two, three, and four years post-diagnosis. The data show that the four-year survival for most stages is higher at the Abramson Cancer Center (Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center) compared to NCDB survival rates.

Abramson Cancer Center Data for the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Abramson Cancer Center Data for Penn Presbyterian Medical Center