The Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute, in partnership with the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, earned the state’s designation as Cancer Center of Excellence in recognition of its excellence in quality, comprehensive and innovative patient-centered care. The designation was awarded by the Florida Department of Health after a thorough review by the Florida Cancer Control and Research Advisory Council and members of the Biomedical Research Advisory Council. The state recognition celebrates academic institutions and hospitals that exceed service standards and excel in providing quality, comprehensive and patient-centered care and cancer research.
“Patients in the fight for their lives choose Tampa General Hospital and its Cancer Institute for world-class cancer care,” said John Couris, president and CEO of Florida Health Sciences Center | Tampa General Hospital. Couris emphasized that the designation recognizes the institute’s academic-rooted and patient-centered approach, cross-collaboration of teams, access to cutting-edge treatments and therapies, and ability to provide patients the best possible chance at the best possible outcome. The Cancer Center of Excellence designation builds on the TGH Cancer Institute’s national accolades and marks a significant milestone in the institution’s development.
“The designation reflects the power of academic medicine to provide the best care,” said Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine. Lockwood noted that studies show patients treated at an academic medical center have a 20% higher rate of survival compared to other facilities. He highlighted the multidisciplinary collaboration and top-level expertise in place that can provide the most advanced care to even medically complex patients with the most difficult cancer diagnoses.
The TGH Cancer Institute represents one of Florida’s few cancer centers backed by academic medicine through its partnership with the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. The institute ranks among the nation’s top 10% for cancer treatment by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals 2025-2026. The facility holds multiple national accreditations, including from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Quality Oncology Practice Initiative, and the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers from the American College of Surgeons.
“Here at the TGH Cancer Institute, patients with cancer benefit from compassionate care, state of-the-art clinical research and innovative therapies that not only improve patient outcomes, but contribute to a better quality of life,” said Eduardo Sotomayor, MD, vice president at Tampa General Hospital and executive director of the TGH Cancer Institute. Sotomayor served as co-leader of the application that led to the state designation. The institute also holds accreditations from the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy for excellence in stem cell and cellular therapy, and the American Society for Radiation Oncology Program for Excellence.
“We’re proud to have earned the designation as a Cancer Center of Excellence,” said Thomas Rutherford, MD, PhD, chief of the Division of Gynecological Oncology and professor in the Morsani College of Medicine. Rutherford, who serves as deputy director of the TGH Cancer Institute and principal investigator of the Cancer Center of Excellence application, emphasized the institute’s commitment to building on successes achieved over the past five years. The institute is a member of the Association of American Cancer Institutes, recognized for leadership in research, treatment, education and outreach, and was named among Newsweek’s America’s Best Cancer Hospitals.
The Cancer Center of Excellence designation represents a significant milestone toward the TGH Cancer Institute’s long-term goal of obtaining a designation from the National Cancer Institute. The National Cancer Institute recognizes centers around the country that meet rigorous standards for transdisciplinary, state-of-the-art research focused on developing new and better approaches to preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer. Tampa General is home to world-renowned cancer surgeons with decades of surgical experience who are active in cutting-edge clinical trials, providing patients at the TGH Cancer Institute access to advanced treatment options.