9 Best Cancer Hospitals in Boston

Cancer is one of the significant public health issues in Boston, with its overall cancer death rate being higher than the rest of the US. According to the Health of Boston Report for 2016 – 17, the city had an annual death rate of 162.6 per 100 000 residents, higher than that of Massachusetts and the US.

But, as you may already know, mortality due to cancer is completely avertable if you are diagnosed and treated in time. Keeping that in mind, we introduce you to the list of the best cancer hospitals in Boston where both treatment and preventive care are provided.

Also Read: 10 Best Cancer Hospitals in Washington

10 Best Cancer Hospitals in Boston

1. Mass General Cancer Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital

• Massachusetts General Hospital is indubitably one of the best hospitals in Boston and Massachusetts, and so is its cancer division. It has indeed been ranked as the top second hospital by the US News and World Reports
• At Mass General Cancer Hospital, one of the world’s leading cancer programs are provided with the help of innovative research and powerful therapeutic options.
• The hospital engages in multi-disciplinary patient care with a team of medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and surgical oncologists to provide individualized patient care.
• The hospital handles both adult and pediatric cancers cancer with utmost care and consideration through the involvement of family-centered care.
• Along with treating relatively common types of cancer such as skin cancer, breast cancer, or prostate cancer, the hospital staff is competent in managing relatively rare types, including chordoma, chondrosarcoma, acute and myelogenous leukemia, hairy cell leukemia, Ewing family of tumors, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, neurofibromatosis, parathyroid tumors, schwannomatosis, and Merkel Cell carcinoma to name a few.
• In supporting these treatments, the hospital provides novel options such as proton therapy and minimally – invasive surgery to treat cancer patients through a team-based approach.

Address: 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114, United States

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2. Boston Medical Center

• Boston Medical Center is one of the top oncologic treatment centers in Boston, where the skills and knowledge of various oncologic experts are put together in treating the patient through a multi-disciplinary approach.
• It has a team of medical, radiologic, surgical, and hematologic oncologists who combine innovative approaches to treat different types of cancer.
• Their comprehensive team also includes oncologic nurses, social workers, and patient guides who cater to extend their comfort and support while at the center.
• Like Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston Medical Center staff members are skilled in treating rarer cancer types such as amyloidosis, mediastinal tumor, carcinoid tumor, cutaneous lymphoma, diaphragm tumor, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, laryngeal cancer to name a few.
• This they achieved through specialized oncologic professionals such as thoracic oncologists and melanoma oncologists, who are refined experts in the field.
• Their hematology unit is one of the most advanced in Boston, providing treatments for leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma based on innovative research and trials performed at the center.
• Besides its treatment and research excellence, the Boston Medical Centre is also renowned for its comforts, including luxury private rooms, suites, and recliner chairs, so patients feel at home.

Address: 830 Harrison Avenue Boston, MA 02118 Moakley Building

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3. Dana – Farber Cancer Institute

• Dana – Farber Cancer Institute is one of Boston’s internationally renowned cancer treatment centers, housing top-class faculty members and novel treatment options.
• The institute is known for the efficient treatment of adult and pediatric cases. Like the above two centers, it also excels in dealing with unusual or complicated cancer cases.
• Some unusual types of cancer treated at the center include adrenocortical carcinoma, germ cell tumors, histiocytosis, Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia, thymoma, cases of bone marrow failure in children, biliary cancers, mesothelioma, and soft tissue sarcomas.
• With dedicated pediatric units, the center is probably the best for treating thyroid cancer, soft tissue sarcoma, neuroblastoma, melanoma, kidney cancer, bone cancer, brain tumors, lymphomas, and germ cell tumors in children.
  This is because their pediatric oncologists work alongside medical, radiation, and surgical oncologists, as well as the parents and family members of the child.
• Similarly, in treating cancers in adults, they employ a comprehensive team of international experts engaged in various clinical trials about the particular type of cancer. Thus, they have the most abundant knowledge required for its precise treatment.
• They have a dedicated women’s hospital and a psychosocial support unit, which indicates the degree of compassionate care and explains the rationale of their long-term survivorship programs.

Address: 450 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02215, United States

Also Read: 10 Best Cancer Hospitals in Florida

4. Women’s Cancer Center, Dana – Farber Cancer Institute

• Women’s Cancer Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute deserves special mention because of its dedicated services towards preventing and treating different types of cancer in women.
• Women’s Cancer Centre has been ranked 5th by the US News and World Report for 2019 – 20, making it one of the best cancer hospitals in Boston and the entire US.
• What’s distinct about the Women’s Cancer Centre in Boston is that compassionate and personalized care is provided to women keeping in mind the scientific advancements and innovations in the field of cancer.
• For each case, a genetic evaluation of the patient is carried out to determine an individualistic approach to treatment, following which novel treatment technologies are selected.
• The center has individual programs for the common types of cancer seen in women, including breast, genitourinary, cutaneous, hematologic, and thoracic cancer, to name a few.
• Within these more extensive programs, smaller units such as breast cancer reconstruction surgeries, management of metastatic cases of cancer, breast cancer management during pregnancy and lactation, management of inflammatory cases of breast cancer, cancer management in older women, and other units have been formed to offer tailored cancer treatments to women.
• The center is highly equipped with state-of-the-art treatment equipment and diagnostic options, which help provide the best treatments for female cancers.

Address: 450 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02215, United States

Also Read: 10 Best Cancer Hospitals in Europe

5. Tufts Cancer Center at Tufts Medical Center

• Tufts Cancer Center has a history of providing exceptional care to cancer patients through its innovative treatment techniques and groundbreaking research through clinical trials.
• Its treatment services are considered to be one – of – a kind because of the use of expert imaging technologies, nanotechnology, and tissue engineering in the precise diagnosis of cancer.
• The founder of the hospital, a treating doctor, Dr. William Dameshek, is one of the finest oncologists and has received the honor of awards being kept in his name, the Dameshek Award. So, it can be ascertained that the treating staff at Tufts is high-accomplished.
• Tufts Centre has been the pioneer of immunosuppression therapies, essential for successful transplants in cancer patients.
• Further, one of the first performed bone marrow transplants in Boston in the year 1959 was performed by the center, making it a leader in bone marrow transplant procedures for cancer patients.
• The uniqueness of their care model is reflected in the independent cancer programs they run for each kind of case, such as the transplant unit for pediatric oncology.
• All these units are fitted with state-of-the-art treatment equipment and world-class accommodations for the patients providing an unmatched treatment experience.
• Its excellence in cancer management is depicted through modern surgical techniques, including minimally invasive surgeries, robotic surgeries, video-assisted surgeries, microsurgeries for cancer treatment, and trans–anal endoscopic surgery for rectal cancer, along with the use of a gamma knife in radiology.
• Due to such an abundance of experience, staff members at Tufts are most skilled in handling complex cancer cases, especially those of the brain.

Address: 800 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111, United States

Also Read: 10 Best Cancer Hospitals in California

6. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

• The cancer unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is the most dedicated to cancer research for bringing forward novel treatment agents in cancer treatment so that it can be more competently managed in patients.
• It has 10 specialized clinical teams devoted to this research and simultaneously offers cancer treatment programs to patients.
• The treatment protocols decided by them are based on their most recent research and are thus innovative methods that may not yet be available at other hospitals.
• Some cancers successfully managed at the hospital include melanoma, gynecological, breast, prostate, lung, head, and neck cancers, and thyroid and endocrine cancers.
• Along with treatment procedures, their advanced team uses genetics to understand tumor characteristics and prescribes personalized cancer prevention programs for the patients.

Address: 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02215, United States

7. Floating Hospital for Children

• Located close to the Tufts Hospital, the Floating Hospital for children is one of the best pediatric hospitals in Boston, offering comprehensive cancer treatments.
• The hospital mainly specializes in treating cancer in patients with blood disorders, being a specialty center.
• They are dedicated to providing the highest quality of services for cancer children while providing a safe, child-friendly, home-like environment to make patients feel comfortable.
• To achieve this, the hospital continually encourages the involvement of parents in treatment planning to ensure the best interests of their patients.
• Leukaemia, lymphoma, solid tumors, brain tumors, and hematologic tumors are the expertise of this center, which a team of medical and hematologic experts will manage.
• The hospital also offers individual programs for rare tumors and vascular anomalies, which may be helpful for exceptional cases.

Address: 755 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111, United States

8. Sophia Gordon Cancer Center, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center

• If you don’t mind a little traveling, Sophia Gordon Cancer Center is a comprehensive cancer institute situated in Burlington, Massachusetts.
• It has a team of renowned medical and surgical oncologists who engage in a multi-disciplinary approach to provide personalized care to all cancer patients.
• They do so while working in collaboration and consultation with each other and forming partnerships to form the most competent treatment plans for the patient.
• The treatments decided by them are based on the test results of various clinical trials and regular tumor conferences attended by the team.
• Their model of care involves understanding the emotional and social needs of the patient in addition to analyzing the physical effects of each treatment, such as its effect on their quality of life.
• Keeping that in mind, the center offers integrative treatment therapy services, which include using alternative treatment options alongside the chemo/radiotherapy treatment of cancer.
• These services include acupuncture, massage therapy, Reiki, YMCA Pink Program, art therapy, and specialized exercise programs for different cancer types to boost the patient’s activity levels. Does that give a reason to cover some distance?

Address: 41 Burlington Mall Road, Burlington, MA 01805, United States

9. Shriner’s Hospital for Children

• Although not a dedicated cancer treatment hospital, cancer treatment and Shriner’s hospital can be considered the best for pediatric patients because of the expertise of hospital staff members in handling young patients.
• Shriner’s Hospital for Children is an international hospital that ventures into cancer treatment to improve children’s quality of life.
• It is efficient in performing surgical procedures, most notably for treating bone tumors in children.
• Support services and rehabilitation procedures are compassionately and carefully offered to patients in consultation with a multi-disciplinary team and their parents after managing complicated cases such as limb amputation.

Address: 51 Blossom St, Boston, MA 02114, United States

Summary

It is hoped that the above list will assist you in choosing the best treatment options in your local area, helping you in your battle against cancer.