How UPMC Hillman earned its designation as an NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center — and why it matters to Pittsburgh cancer patients

Every five years for more than three decades, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center has undergone a rigorous assessment by the National Cancer Institute and continuously achieved its Comprehensive Cancer Center designation, held by only 53 cancer centers in the U.S. “Anybody can say they have a cancer center,” said Dr. Robert Ferris, the director of UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. He also serves as co-chair of the NCI’s Head and Neck Steering committee, which facilitates clinical trials. “You just say,…