THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I CANCER CENTER (UH CANCER CENTER) continues its long standing as one of the best cancer centers in the nation. A National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated clinical cancer center from 1974-1986 and continuously since 1996, the UH Cancer Center recently secured a five-year renewal, earning its best evaluation score and an “outstanding” rating.
Only 73 out of approximately 1,825 cancer centers in the U.S. are currently NCI-designated cancer centers, placing the UH Cancer Center in the top four percent of cancer research institutions nationwide. Its NCI Clinical Cancer Center designation is achieved by meeting constant, rigorous standards for conducting transdisciplinary, state-of-the-art research in basic, clinical, and/or prevention, cancer control, and population science.
“Receiving the maximum designation and our best score in the center’s history validates the critical work our faculty researchers are doing at the UH Cancer Center to save lives in Hawai‘i and the Pacific,” said Director Naoto T. Ueno, MD, PhD, who is also a cancer clinician and researcher, as well as a two-time cancer survivor himself. “This recognition affirms not only our groundbreaking research into cancer’s causes, prevention and treatments, but also our unique focus on serving underrepresented communities in Hawai‘i and the Pacific, who often face significant disparities in cancer risk, patient care and health outcomes.”
Commitment to Research, Education and Community Outreach
The UH Cancer Center operates out of its state-of-the-art facility in Kaka‘ako and employs more than 300 faculty and staff, with an additional 200 affiliate members through its Hawai‘i Cancer Consortium partners: Hawai‘i Pacific Health, The Queen’s Health Systems, Adventist Health Castle, Kuakini Medical Center, Hawai‘i Medical Service Association (HMSA), and University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM). The consortium is expected to expand soon with its first neighbor island members, to promote access to high quality cancer care no matter where people live.
Groundbreaking Initiatives to Expand Cancer Care in Hawai‘i
In early 2026, the UH Cancer Center is slated to open the Ho‘ōla Early-Phase Clinical Research Center, becoming the first-of-its-kind facility in Hawai‘i to offer Phase 1 clinical trials.
With more than 7,000 cancer diagnoses reported in Hawai‘i each year, and 70,000 Hawai‘i residents living with cancer, Ho‘ōla will provide local patients with access to novel cancer treatments, improving patient outcomes and reducing the burden on families who would otherwise have to travel to the mainland for treatments.
In February, The Queen’s Health Systems announced plans to develop oncology clinic space at the UH Cancer Center, above Ho‘ōla. With Queen’s medical oncology, surgical oncology, and chemotherapy infusion services at the Kaka‘ako campus, patients will be able to access comprehensive cancer care and early-phase clinical trials in one convenient location.
“We have always valued the high level of expertise of the UH Cancer Center’s team of researchers and clinicians,” said Darlena Chadwick, executive vice president and chief operating officer of The Queen’s Health Systems. “We are honored to bring our oncologists to the UH Cancer Center campus to create a better experience for patients. This agreement allows Queen’s to expand our commitment to comprehensive healthcare services, particularly for Native Hawaiians.”
Another new initiative by the UH Cancer Center, Ka ‘Umeke Lama, is Hawai‘i’s first academic oncology program, aiming to address the state’s severe shortage of cancer clinicians and researchers. Cutting-edge research, workforce development, and culturally informed practices are among the tactics that the UH Cancer Center is leading to transform care and fix disparities in cancer health outcomes in the islands.
These groundbreaking initiatives at UH Cancer Center will provide extensive resources to researchers and other institutions throughout the state to enhance cancer patient care in Hawai‘i and across the Pacific.
“We are not only upholding the rigorous standards of our ‘outstanding’ NCI designation – we are elevating our mission to save lives,” said Ueno. “The UH Cancer Center is transforming cancer care through bold initiatives like Ho‘ōla and Ka ‘Umeke Lama, expanding access to clinical trials, building the cancer workforce of the future, and staying rooted in the needs of our communities. Our vision is to ensure that every patient has access to lifesaving care and the hope of a healthier future, no matter where they live.”