Cancer center develops treatments, training

Charged with treating and preventing one of the deadliest diseases in the world, the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center receives $52 million in funding every year - $25.5 million more than any other research center or institute at the University.

Established in 1975, the Lineberger Center's mission is to reduce cancer occurrence and death in the state and in the nation through treatment, training and research.

Faculty at the center train future scientists and physicians through nationally recognized programs, treat cancer patients, conduct research and develop and direct programs in cancer prevention.

H. Shelton Earp, director of the center, said the group serves not only cancer patients but also the University at large.

"It provides unique benefits for the University because it helps to organize all segments of the University to promote cancer care, awareness, prevention and early detection."

Providing 11 programs in three major areas, the cancer center conducts research in six laboratory science programs, a variety of clinical science programs and two public health programs.

Researchers at the Lineberger Center now are working with Duke University to help couples in which the woman has been diagnosed with an early stage of breast cancer. The National Cancer Institute is funding the study with a $2.5 million grant.

The Lineberger Center, which is ranked in the top 15 institutions nationally in cancer research, receives more than 75 percent of its funding from the National Institutes of Health. A variety of other federal funding agencies, including the Department of Defense and the American Cancer Society, also sponsor the center.

The center works with 515 staff members and 220 scientists from more that 25 departments across campus. It soon will expand by creating a new facility with $180 million the N.C. General Assembly awarded the center this summer.

"The center has grown tremendously over the past few years. It has grown in our mission and our ties to the University," said Barbara Rimer, deputy director of population sciences at the center. "The incorporation of new faculty members from other departments of the University has grown even stronger."

The Lineberger Center is different from other research centers at the University because it is the one place that brings in a multitude of faculty and research from all over the University, said Debbie Dibbert, director of external affairs.

"Cancer is more than just medicine," she said. "It incorporates research not just from medicine, but from chemical, economic and psychology departments."

The Lineberger Center also has new plans to increase clinical research efforts, Earp said.

"We hope to dramatically increase clinical research and thus double the number of patients that we currently have."

Doing so is necessary, he said, to provide more care for a disease that has the potential to affect anyone.

"Almost everyone in the University community has had some kind of a brush with cancer," Earp said.

"So our goal is to create one of the most comprehensive centers that provides the best cancer care and research."

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.