OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center has officially broken ground on its new 176,000-square-foot facility located on the University of Oklahoma’s Schusterman Center campus, a major step forward in expanding access to National Cancer Institute-designated cancer care for thousands of residents in northeast Oklahoma. The new center is expected to open in 2028 and aims to address the state’s high cancer burden, as Oklahoma ranks fourth in the nation for cancer-related deaths. In 2025, approximately 24,000 new cancer cases are projected in Oklahoma, with around 8,300 in northeast Oklahoma alone, a region facing some of the highest cancer mortality rates in the state. Demand for outpatient cancer care in this area is expected to grow by 14.2 percent through 2034, driven in part by high incidences of pancreatic, hepatobiliary, and other complex cancers that are often resistant to conventional treatments.
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Joseph Harroz Jr., president of the University of Oklahoma, said that the groundbreaking reflects a long-standing mission to provide every Oklahoman with access to top-tier cancer care regardless of location. He emphasized that Stephenson Cancer Center delivers research-driven care at the highest level as the only NCI-designated cancer center in Oklahoma, a distinction held by just 2 percent of cancer centers nationwide. Harroz noted that the generosity of the Stephenson family, support from Tribal partners, the state Legislature, and local philanthropists has made this expansion possible, creating a lasting legacy of care for future generations.
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The Tulsa expansion is made possible through a strong public-private partnership led by Charlie and Peggy Stephenson, supported by funding from the Oklahoma Legislature through the American Rescue Plan Act and the General Revenue Fund, contributions from the Cherokee Nation, and donations from the Norton, Trussell, and Croteau families. These combined efforts aim to enhance access to advanced cancer care in northeast Oklahoma and strengthen the region’s healthcare infrastructure.
Richard Lofgren, M.D., MPH, president and CEO of OU Health, stated that as Oklahoma’s only NCI-designated cancer center, Stephenson has a responsibility to ensure that patients have access to the most advanced therapies and research-driven treatments available. The expansion supports OU Health’s role as the state’s leading academic health system, providing complex care, specialty programs, and clinical trials that improve patient outcomes while giving residents access to high-quality cancer care without leaving the state.
Robert Mannel, M.D., director of OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center, explained that the new facility will offer 70 exam rooms, 45 infusion spaces, three linear accelerators, advanced imaging including MRI and PET-CT, and dedicated clinical trial areas designed to grow with the center. These resources will increase access to early-phase clinical trials for patients with rare or treatment-resistant cancers, ensuring that northeast Oklahoma patients can receive cutting-edge therapies locally. Mannel added that the expansion also advances the center’s goal of achieving Comprehensive Cancer Center designation from the NCI and supports OU’s strategic plan to improve the health of Oklahomans.
The project further strengthens OU Health’s partnership with Hillcrest HealthCare System, which began in 2024, to deliver specialized cancer therapies and clinical trials to northeast Oklahoma. Hillcrest Regional President Jeff Johnston highlighted that the partnership has already brought more clinical trials and expertise to the region, and the new facility will allow even more patients to access nationally recognized care closer to home. The expansion also builds on the foundation provided by the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust, which has funded initiatives including lung cancer screening and early-phase clinical trials across OU’s academic health system. Stephenson Cancer Center has already opened a facility with Norman Regional Health System in June 2025 and plans to expand further with a new location in McAlester this year.
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