Welcome from the Provost and Vice President

On behalf of The George Washington University and Medical Center, welcome to The George Washington University Cancer Institute (GWCI) web site.

The fight against cancer is at once a personal, community, national and international battle. Cancer is a disease that affects everyone, regardless of age, gender, race, religion, class or culture. It is the second leading cause of death in the United States, taking the lives of more than 1,500 Americans each day.

As a premier University and academic health center in the nation’s capital, GW serves a population that mirrors our nation, and in particular, calls attention to urban health issues among minority and vulnerable populations.

For example, we grapple with the fact that the mortality rates of African Americans with lung, breast, prostate and colon cancers defy national averages — particularly here in the District of Columbia, which has the highest cancer death rate in the nation.  Men in the District are dying at a rate 30 percent higher than the national average and women at a rate 19 percent higher.

GWCI is committed to understanding why certain cancers are so predominant in our community, and why they appear to behave differently in certain populations. We are also aiming to help overcome these disparities so that the District’s population and others can live healthier lives.

GWCI boasts an expert team of scientists, physicians and other heathcare professionals, along with public health and health policy professionals. This enables us to bring a comprehensive approach to battling and treating cancer through extensive and multidisciplinary initiatives in research, education, patient care, policy work and community outreach.

Thank you for choosing to visit the GWCI web site. I hope you find our programs and initiatives helpful and interesting.

Sincerely,

John F. Williams, MD, EdD
Provost
Vice President for Health Affairs