Welcome from the Director

I welcome you to the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMGCCC), a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer center. With more than 58,000 unique outpatient visits in 2023, we are devoted to providing cutting-edge therapies and individualized care to cancer patients. Our internationally recognized experts in cancer care, research and education, the faculty of the University of Maryland School of Medicine and other professional schools at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, University of Maryland College Park and other University of Maryland campuses work together to offer new hope to cancer patients. We provide outstanding clinical care and conduct innovative research work leading to better prevention, detection and treatment strategies for all types of cancer.

Patient care is a top priority of our cancer center. We offer comprehensive, coordinated care through our multidisciplinary teams of specialists who consult on each patient's case and develop the best treatment plan customized to the unique medical and social needs of the patient. Every patient receiving care at UMGCCC has the opportunity to receive the best possible care and benefit from the collaboration of surgeons, hematologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, nurses, clinical pharmacists, social workers, dieticians and other team members. UMGCCC physicians work with other affiliated physicians across the University of Maryland Medical System, caring for nearly 8,000 new cancer patients annually, which represents about a quarter of all newly diagnosed cancer patients in the state of Maryland.

We are committed to bringing promising new therapies from the laboratory to the bedside for the benefit of patients. UMGCCC scientists are actively engaged in research on new cancer drugs and other interventions as evidenced by the more than 400 clinical trials currently under way here. New techniques for radiation treatment delivery and minimally invasive and robot-assisted surgical techniques are also being tested by our faculty. This means that patients receiving care at UMGCCC have access to all the standard approaches but also many of the very latest treatment options that often will not be available to the general patient population until approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which can take upward of five years or longer.

As a clinician and researcher specializing in lung cancer and early-phase cancer clinical trials, I apply the experience gained through my direct engagement in patient care to drive the focus of research in my lab. That way, we test and develop new options of treatment to address problems that are directly relevant to patients. I also partner with other scientists and researchers in the cancer center to work together to overcome other challenges that are too big for an individual researcher or a single research team to confront alone. Many other UMGCCC experts employ the same approach to improve the care that we provide for patients with diverse types of cancer.

Our physicians, navigators, community social workers and other experts support the cancer screening services offered through the Baltimore City Cancer Program. Moreover, our team of experts with experience in community-based research and outreach regularly engage with our patients and community stakeholders to gain their input and perspective. This type of interaction is key to defining the strategic direction of our research to make sure our work is directly relevant to our community. This is what a comprehensive cancer center designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is tasked to do — translate basic science results into better ways to treat patients — and something we work hard to accomplish every day.

The UMGCCC Web site features detailed information on all major types of cancer, our treatment services, specialized teams, clinical trials, research and education/training programs and much more. We hope you will explore our website and find it to be a valuable resource for cancer information.

Thank you for your interest in UMGCCC and your support of our cancer center, where we strive every day to turn hope into reality for cancer patients.

Sincerely,

Taofeek K. Owonikoko, MD, PhD.
Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Professor of Oncology
Executive Director, University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center