Presentation of the Centre
The National Cancer Institute of Colombia (NCIC) is a Government Institution promoting comprehensive cancer control, through patient care, education, research, and development of public health actions. We assess the Ministry of Health in the definition and implementation of the National cancer-control plan (NCCP). NCIC is pleased to participate to the OECI to share experiences, to improve quality of care and the impact of cancer research. NCIC aims to become a link between Europe and Latin American Public Cancer Institutes, also thanks to a possible participation to the OECI A&D Programme.
In 1934, the NCIC started as Radium Institute; six years after, Claude Regaud, founder of the Institute Curie, visited Colombia and promoted the creation of the NCIC. It was the first hospital of its kind in Latin America and the second in the world. Since 1953 it is ascribed to the Ministry of Health and it gives support to five Population-Based Cancer Registries following the IARC methodology.
Main Research Activity
NCIC hosts 8 research programs with basic, clinical and epidemiological research with an average of 20 new projects per year, independent clinical trials and a strong relationship with IARC. NCIC publishes a Scientific Journal titled “Revista Colombiana de Cancerología” and houses a tumor bank with more than 70.000 samples.
Core Facilities
As a cancer care center, we received nearly 7.000 new patients. The Hospital has 188 beds, 9 surgery rooms and robotic surgery; 47 chemotherapy chairs, a radio pharmacy and an integral cancer support is offered to the patients.
Education
NCIC is training nearly 20 specialists per year in 15 different oncological programs.