Two of Hawaiʻi’s leading cancer care organizations, the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center and The Queen’s Health Systems, are partnering to enhance cancer care in the state.
The two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding to develop oncology clinic space at the UH Cancer Center in Kakaʻako. This collaboration will integrate Queen’s oncology services into the UH Cancer Center’s research facilities, providing comprehensive cancer care and early-phase clinical trials under one roof. It will also mark the first time the UH offers on-campus clinical services for cancer patients.
Queen’s will lease space on the third and fourth floors of the center’s ʻewa wing, offering medical oncology, surgical oncology, and chemotherapy infusion services. Meanwhile, Hoʻōla, Hawaiʻi’s first early-phase clinical research center for cancer, is under construction on the first and second floors and is set to open by year’s end. A collaborative effort with the Hawai‘i Cancer Consortium, Hoʻōla will allow local cancer patients to access cutting-edge treatments without traveling to the mainland.
“As a member of the Hawaiʻi Cancer Consortium, The Queen’s Health Systems has always been one of the state’s most powerful allies in the fight against cancer,” said Naoto T. Ueno, director of the UH Cancer Center. This agreement builds on our mutually beneficial collaboration as we continue to save lives. It ensures patients in Hawaiʻi and the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands can benefit from cancer research that yields better preventive care, earlier detection, and improved treatment options.”
National recognition
In September 2024, the UH Cancer Center renewed its National Cancer Institute designation, maintaining its place among the nation’s top 4% of cancer centers. Later this year, it will launch early-phase clinical trial cancer treatments, a first for Hawaiʻi, further strengthening its mission to improve cancer care for the state’s diverse population.
Related UH News story: UH Cancer Center receives full 5-year designation with best score in a decade
Queen’s Medical Center, recently ranked Hawaiʻi’s top hospital by U.S. News & World Report, also holds accreditation from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, ensuring patients receive comprehensive care with state-of-the-art services.
“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.”
