Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center

**Semantic type:** Health Care Related Organization

**Definition:** The Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center is Columbia University's organizational component for the conduct of basic, clinical, and population-based cancer research and patient care. The Center's mission is to understand the biology of cancer and apply that knowledge to the design of cancer therapies and prevention strategies that reduce its incidence and progression and improve the quality of the lives of those affected by cancer. It became an NCI-designated cancer center in 1972 and achieved comprehensive status in 1979.

**Synonyms:** - Cancer Center at Columbia University - HICCC