Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. (Facebook.com/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- U.S. News and World Report ranked Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center highest in New England for cancer care for the 18th consecutive year--and also ranked it fourth nationally.
Dr. Laurie Glimcher, Dana-Farber's president and CEO, told WBZ NewsRadio 1030 that it really takes a village to be the best.
"It's an amazing place," she said. "Cancer care requires that type of teamwork, and being named a top hospital is a reflection of the work of many, many people at Dana-Farber," she said. "It's not just our doctors and our researchers--it's our nurses, our physician assistants, our volunteers, our nutritionists, our palliative care docs, you name it."
Dr. Glimcher said all of Dana-Farber's employees are dedicated to the facility's mission of making headway in cancer care and treatment.
"One of our faculty members did a phase one clinical trial with a personalized vaccine for each of six patients, and all six patients went into remission."
She also credited all of those on the front line of developing breakthroughs.
"Our researchers have been on the cutting edge of all the new discoveries in cancer," she said. "It's been an unbelievable time for cancer research, really revolutionary, between cancer genomics and cancer immunotherapy, and Dana-Farber researchers led the way."
When it comes to the fight against cancer, Dr. Glimcher said there's been progress--but there's much more to do.
"I have very high hopes, I'm very optimistic," she said. "But a lot more research needs to be done, and we need the resources and the funds to carry out that research."
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Ben Parker (@radiobenparker) reports