UH Cancer Center and The Queen’s Health Systems will provide oncology services and research under one roof

Two of Hawai‘i’s leading cancer care organizations, the University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center and The Queen’s Health Systems, are teaming up to take cancer care for Hawai‘i patients to a new level.

The two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop oncology clinic space at the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center’s facilities in Kaka‘ako. This collaboration will integrate Queen’s oncology services into the Cancer Center’s cutting-edge research space, providing comprehensive cancer care and early phase clinical trial research and treatment under one roof.

Queen’s will lease this newly expanded clinic space on the third and fourth floor of the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center to provide patients with medical oncology, surgical oncology, and chemotherapy infusion services.

In parallel, Ho‘ōla, Hawai‘i’s first early-phase clinical research center for cancer, is currently under construction on the first and second floors of the ‘ewa wing of the Cancer Center and is set to be completed by the end of the year.

This is a collaborative project with the Hawai’i Cancer Consortium. Consortium partners, including Hawaiʻi Pacific Health and Queen’s, will work with the University Health Partners of Hawaiʻi to bring early-phase clinical trial treatments to the islands so that cancer patients and their families do not have to travel to other states to receive these cutting-edge treatment options.

Integrating Queen’s oncology services with the UH Cancer Center’s existing research facilities will combine expertise and renowned high quality, compassionate care to enhance medical care and health outcomes for Hawai‘i’s cancer patients.

In September 2024, the UH Cancer Center renewed its prestigious distinction of being designated by the federal National Cancer Institute, maintaining its position as one of the nation’s top-4% cancer centers. This recognition reflects its ongoing commitment to rigorous state-of-the-art research and care standards, focusing on Hawai‘i’s uniquely diverse population, including Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Filipinos.

“As a member of the Hawai‘i Cancer Consortium, The Queen’s Health Systems has always been one of the state’s most powerful allies in the fight against cancer,” said Dr. Naoto T. Ueno, director of the UH Cancer Center. “This agreement builds on our mutually beneficial collaboration as we continue to save lives, and help ensure patients in Hawai‘i and the U.S-Affiliated Pacific Islands can continue to benefit from cancer research that yields better preventive care, earlier detection of different types of cancer among different ethnicities, and improved treatment options for cancer patients.”

As part of its mission, the UH Cancer Center will begin early-phase clinical trial cancer treatments later this year, marking a milestone as the first center in Hawai‘i to offer such trials.

The Queen’s Medical Center has received numerous awards, including being named the #1 hospital in Hawai‘i in U.S. News & World Report’s 2024-2025 Best Hospitals rankings. The Queen’s Medical Center also received approval with commendations from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer Accreditation Program.

Receiving care at a Commission on Cancer-approved cancer program ensures patients have access to comprehensive care, including a range of state-of-the-art services and equipment.

“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 memorandum of understanding will allow Queen’s to expand our commitment of providing comprehensive healthcare services, including specialized oncology services, to improve the well-being of all of Hawai‘i’s people, particularly Native Hawaiians,” she continued.