United in Hope: Building a Future Beyond Cancer

We are going to transform cancer care and research. We want to save lives and change lives through advanced research and therapeutics not available anywhere else. And we want to do it right here in Kansas. We envision a hub for world-class patient care and cancer research, making The University of Kansas Cancer Center a global destination and a beacon of hope for the cure to all cancers.

• We are at the forefront of treatment for hematologic malignancies – bone marrow transplants and CAR T-cell therapies, made possible by the research conducted here.
  • Today, there are 6 approved CAR T-cell therapies. In the next 5 years, there will be many times more, and the number will only grow. We can be the epicenter of this new frontier in cancer treatment.
  • These new treatments are not only more effective, but also less toxic to patients – allowing them to live with cancer in a way not previously possible.
  • Patients also will have access to more innovative clinical trials and groundbreaking therapies developed on-site.
  • The whole patient experience – from nutrition guidance and social workers to pathology, imaging, survivorship and everything in between – will happen in one place.

• All types of cancer researchers – including basic, translational, clinical and population – will work in the same building, providing opportunities for multidisciplinary approaches and collaborations.
• Researchers will be able to collaborate real-time with physicians on personalized treatment options, accelerating the pace of approval and launch of new treatments for patients.
• The building will be a bridge between research and clinical activities, enhancing research efforts by providing open and specialized laboratory space for teams of basic scientists and clinicians. The environment will promote collaboration and seamless flow of information between faculty.

• We believe it is time for a new approach to cancer. Now is our opportunity to transform the way we prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.
• We need to translate scientific breakthroughs into treatment options more effectively and efficiently than ever before.
• We need to advance personalized cancer care and consider the unique characteristics of each patient and their disease.
• We need to create the best possible outcomes for all patient populations.
• Research is the engine that drives advances in cancer care. Our basic research findings inform the development of better therapies, and our observations in the clinic lead to new endeavors in the lab. Integration across the cancer research and care spectrum accelerates our progress in treating and preventing cancer.
• To make the biggest difference in patient’s lives, we need clinicians and researchers working together real time, side by side to develop the treatments of tomorrow.

• We know more about cancer today than ever before, but it isn’t enough to make the difference we need and want to make in patient’s lives.
• The number of new cancer cases globally is expected to increase 49%, from 1.5 million to 2.28 million in 2050.
• We are part of a major shift in cellular therapy, an impending cellular tsunami, whereby more and more cancer treatments will be cell‐based or a directly administered gene therapy product.
• As the region’s only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, it’s our duty to meet this challenge with more breakthrough research and innovative treatments to serve all patients.

• Research shows team science (collaborative, interdisciplinary research) is linked to impact and accelerated innovations. The new space will emphasize cross-disciplinary interaction, which opens the door to new ways of thinking.
• A more diverse workforce means varying perspectives and better collective problem-solving.
• Breakthroughs happen faster when research and care happen together; spontaneous interaction where experiences are shared and ideas sparked lead to the creation of new approaches.
  • For example, a physician could walk down the hall to talk with a cancer immunologist so they can design treatment studies faster, giving patients access to novel protocols sooner.
• Patients will have access to more innovative clinical trials and groundbreaking therapies.
• The future of cancer care, including a cure, is with precision medicine. In this new facility, researchers and care teams can work side by side creating each therapy more effectively and efficiently, based on each individual patient’s needs.
• Genetics is a growing focus in advanced cancer prevention and treatment. Here, we will perform point-of-care testing to identify specific molecular targets in order to use targeted therapy drugs to prevent tumor growth and spread.

• Staffing challenges across research and patient care exist across the country. As a destination cancer center, we will be able to recruit from a wider talent pool, attracting the nation’s top clinicians and researchers to our center and our community and retaining them. We are also committed to working locally to offer nontraditional paths to certain support services, and through grants and other public and private funding to support those who want to further their education.
• Today, we have 350 cancer researchers and 150 disease-specific oncologists.

The historic gift from The Sunderland Foundation is one example of how the facility will be financed. The Congressionally directed funding secured by Sen. Jerry Moran for research aspects of the facility is another. Details are still being finalized, but we anticipate a mix of funding to include government sources, corporate foundations and private philanthropy.

Total cost is still being determined as we finalize building plans and dependencies. The building will be constructed in phases, over time.

• Transforming cancer care and research will transform Kansas City as a regional and national destination for the most advanced cancer care.
• Kansas City does big things, including taking on the fight against cancer. This new facility is our stake in the ground that we will be a pivotal place for the transformation of research and care.
• We have built a nationally recognized cancer program from the ground up, offering our region the opportunity to receive the very best care right here at home, while attracting the very best physicians and researchers from across the country to our community.
• This means the nation and world’s best care is right here at home. Access to quality healthcare is a key driver for employers/employee decisions on where to work and live.
• The development of more therapies, with clinicians and researchers working side by side, will also translate into entrepreneurial opportunities for support businesses – perfect for Kansas City’s entrepreneurial spirit.
• Together, the health system and university generated more than $7.9B in economic impact in 2021 in the Kansas City metro area. Imagine the economic impact once we have a destination cancer center, with even more people traveling from around the country and world to receive care in Kansas City.