It’s 2020 and a global pandemic has changed everything. I have never been more inspired by the selfless dedication of everyone working together to ensure that our vulnerable cancer patients are protected while getting the treatments they need in the face of unprecedented challenges. I want to start this letter by acknowledging that and expressing my deepest gratitude.

I also welcome this opportunity to take a look back at 2019, a year in which we had much to celebrate.

In 2019, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center became the 71st NCI-designated cancer center in the country and the only one in South Florida. We are so proud to receive this important recognition from the National Cancer Institute. In this annual report you can read about how we earned this designation by conducting outstanding cancer research in our laboratories, increasing our reach to medically underserved communities with innovative prevention strategies, and training future physicians and scientists.

Sylvester’s Phase 1 Clinical Trials Program continues to grow substantially with a significant increase in the number of patients participating in these studies of the newest investigational cancer treatments. You will find that important number and others in a new section in our Accomplishments Report - 2019: Sylvester by the Numbers.

We have established multidisciplinary molecular tumor boards that are used to assist Sylvester doctors and doctors in the region to identify effective targeted therapies based on the molecular makeup of a patient’s tumor. Last year, Sylvester joined the Precision Oncology Alliance, an important affiliation of 26 centers which is advancing our precision medicine approaches to cancer. As part of this network, we are helping develop standards of care for molecular testing.

Our community outreach efforts have gained even more momentum. In 2019, Sylvester hosted the first National Firefighter Cancer Symposium which drew hundreds of experts in the field from across the country. We also launched a second Game Changer^TM Vehicle to bring free cancer screenings and innovative prevention strategies to Monroe County and the Florida Keys, to address health disparities there.

Sylvester’s sarcoma team published practice-changing studies last year in The Lancet Oncology and Journal of ImmunoTherapy in Cancer. They are among the first to suggest immunotherapy plays a key role in treating certain sarcomas. There are far too many examples of our excellence to print in this letter. In our Accomplishments Report you will find numerous research highlights and announcements about significant grants and awards received by members of our stellar Sylvester team.

More than ever, it is important to reflect on the work we have done to understand where we are today and to achieve our goals for the years ahead.

With gratitude,

Stephen D. Nimer, M.D.
Director, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
Oscar de la Renta Endowed Chair in Cancer Research
Professor of Medicine, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology