A Comprehensive Cancer Center

Dr. Antoni Ribas in his lab

One of the Top Cancer Centers in America

The UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has been designated a "comprehensive cancer center" by the National Cancer Institute, a testament to its excellence in cancer research, education, and community outreach and through its strong partnership with UCLA Health to providing outstanding cancer patient care, prevention and survivorship.

At UCLA Health, teams of specialists work together to treat and assist cancer patients and their families. This multidisciplinary approach helps patients and family members confront both the immediate and long-term effects of cancer. As an NCI-designated cancer center, we are actively working to reduce or eliminate current disparities in the burden of cancer and to ensure that all Americans share equally in the medical advances that result from cancer research.

For 24 consecutive years, the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has been recognized as one of the best locations in the country to receive cancer care on the U.S. News & World Report national honor roll. In 2023, the U.S. News best hospital specialty rankings named the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center No. 1 in both California and the Los Angeles metropolitan area and No. 4 in hospital cancer care in the country.

The most advanced cancer treatment
The UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has established an international reputation for developing new cancer therapies, providing the best in experimental and traditional treatments. UCLA conducts research for a wide range of cancers and offers patients the opportunity to participate in clinical trials and research. We have over 400 active clinical trials focused on cancer care that are currently enrolling patients at UCLA, and offer clinical trials not only in Los Angeles but at partner institutions across the country.

Uncovering breakthroughs in cancer prevention & treatment
With more than 500 physicians and scientists, the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center is one of the largest comprehensive cancer centers in the nation. With an international reputation for providing the best in experimental and traditional cancer treatments, our experts guide the next generation of medical researchers. Successful targeted therapies such as Herceptin, Gleevec, and Sprycel were developed based on basic science performed in UCLA laboratories and clinical trials with UCLA patients.

National Comprehensive Cancer Network 
The UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center is one of 33 leading cancer centers in the United States participating in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). As a NCCN member, we join other experts to set the standards for diagnosing and treating patients with cancer, with a particular focus on uncommon, complex and aggressive forms of the disease.

History & mission
In the late 1960s, a group of scientists and volunteers at UCLA came together to develop a cancer center they hoped would become renowned for excellence in research, education and patient care. Since that time, the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has become a leader in cancer research and clinical care with a vision of accelerating discoveries to prevent and cure cancer.

Today, the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center is one of only 56 comprehensive cancer centers in the nation, the highest designation possible from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The NCI recognizes centers around the country that meet rigorous standards for transdisciplinary, state-of-the-art research focused on developing new and better approaches to preventing, diagnosing, and treating cancer. The Cancer Center has held the designation since 1976.

Why Choose Our Cancer Center?

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Leaders in the field

We have more than 500 scientists and physicians who conduct basic and translational cancer research and provide comprehensive cancer care

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Cutting-edge vaccines

UCLA neuroscientists developed one of the first personalized vaccines for people with glioblastoma, the deadliest type of brain tumor.

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Transforming treatment

Since 2014, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 18 therapies that were developed through research conducted in UCLA labs or clinical trials in UCLA Health clinics.

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State-of-the-art research

We have over 400 active clinical trials focused on cancer care that are currently enrolling patients at UCLA

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Life-changing medicine

UCLA research led to the development of the breast cancer drug Herceptin, developed by world renowned cancer researcher Dr. Dennis Slamon.

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Pioneering immunotherapies

In the largest Phase 1 study in the history of oncology, UCLA researchers led by Dr. Antoni Ribas co-developed the first-of-its-kind immunotherapy Keytruda to treat melanoma.

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Decades of experience

The UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has held the highest designation possible from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) since 1976.

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World-class cancer care

The UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center is ranked as one of the nation's “Best Hospitals” in cancer by U.S. News & World Report.

Pioneering Targeted Cancer Therapies

Breast cancer survivors sitting together

Dr. Dennis Slamon discovered the relationship between the HER-2/neu gene and an aggressive form of breast cancer found in about 30 percent of patients. This discovery led to the development of the new breast cancer drug Herceptin, approved by the FDA on September 25, 1998, making it the first approved treatment that attacks cancer at its genetic roots.

Dr. Antoni Ribas and Keytruda patient Tom Stutz

Developed by Dr. Antoni Ribas, Keytruda is the first-of-its-kind immunotherapy approved by the FDA on September 14, 2014 to treat advanced melanoma. Signaling a paradigm shift in the way the deadly skin cancer is treated, the research was conducted at UCLA and 11 other sites across the world as part of the largest phase 1 clinical study in the history of oncology.

Doctors looking at x-ray

Building upon Ribas' research, Dr. Edward Garon led the largest study published to date using immunotherapy to treat lung cancer. It was approval by the FDA on October 2, 2015 for use of Keytruda in advanced non-small cell lung cancer. In October 2014 the FDA granted the drug "breakthrough therapy" status, allowing it to be fast-tracked for approval.

Lung Screening

In 2014, Garon was also the principal investigator on a multi-year, international phase 3 clinical trial of Cyramza. Tested on more than 1,200 patients, the drug was found to extend survival significantly in NSCLC and approved by the FDA on December 12, 2014.

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Slamon and Dr. Richard Finn developed IBRANCE, a groundbreaking new treatment strategy to arrest tumor growth in women with estrogen-receptor positive advanced breast cancer. It was approved by the FDA on February 3, 2015.  

Cancer cells dividing

UCLA was one of three sites nationwide to conduct the first human tests on Gleevec, a once-a-day pill for a common form of adult leukemia called chronic myelogenous leukemia. Much of the pioneering work done to link the Bcr-Abl gene and its mutant protein with CML was done at UCLA by Dr. Owen Witte and Dr. Charles Sawyers.

Advancements in Translational Research

Sarcoma

Dr. Fred Eilber developed a limb salvage technique that now serves as a national model. He treats sarcoma patients with chemotherapy before surgery, avoiding limb amputation that would otherwise be required.

Ovarian cancer

Dr. Mark Pegram led the team of Jonsson Cancer Center doctors who were the first to treat ovarian cancer patients with gene therapy using the p53 tumor suppressor gene.

Kidney cancer

Drs. Robert Figlin and Arie Belldegrun developed a new approach to treating metastatic kidney cancer by combining biologic and cellular therapies to extend remission times.

Patient recovery

Dr. Judith Gasson and colleagues purified GM-CSF, which shortened the time it takes for cancer patients to recover their white blood cell counts (from five to two weeks) after bone marrow transplants.

BMT

Dr. John Glaspy and Dr. Mary Territo used megakaryocyte growth and development factor (MGDF) for the first time to speed up a cancer patient´s bone marrow recovery after transplant.

Diet and nutrition

Glaspy demonstrated for the first time that dietary regulation of certain fatty acids can change the composition of human breast tissue in such a way that it may be more resistant to cancer.

Breast cancer

In 1992, UCLA Health opened the first multidisciplinary breast cancer center on the West Coast, the Revlon/UCLA Breast Center, for women with breast problems or at high risk of developing the disease.

Prostate cancer

Dr. Charles Sawyers developed the first animal model for prostate cancer, and the ability to grow those cells in animals provided researchers with a crucial new research tool.