Banner MD Anderson marks 15 years of exceptional cancer care

With over 1 million patient visits, Banner MD Anderson has grown into a regional leader in precision oncology, research, and community access

GILBERT, Ariz., Nov. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center is celebrating 15 years of delivering exceptional care to cancer patients across Arizona and Northern Colorado. The program has earned a reputation for bringing breakthrough treatments, cutting-edge research, and compassionate, personalized care to the community.  

Banner Health, one of the nation’s few fully integrated nonprofit health systems, became the first system in the country to partner with MD Anderson Cancer Center. The 2011 partnership was a first-of-its-kind model in leveraging individual system strengths to local communities, and has since been replicated across MD Anderson’s network of hospitals and health care systems dedicated to ending cancer. Banner MD Anderson’s program has grown from 20 physicians at a single location to more than 375 providers across seven facilities in Arizona and Northern Colorado, welcoming over 1 million patient visits to date. 

“Fifteen years ago, we made a bold commitment to ensure the communities we serve have access to the highest standard of cancer care, available in their own backyard — and today, that commitment has never felt more meaningful,” said Amy Perry, Banner Health president and chief executive officer. “Our partnership created a program that has redefined what is possible for cancer care in the southwest, and we are more energized than ever to continue delivering hope to the hundreds of thousands of families impacted by this disease.”

Cancer remains one of the most urgent public health challenges facing American communities. In 2025, 2 million Americans received a cancer diagnosis, with an estimated 618,000 deaths. Excluding non-melanoma skin cancer, at least 40% of newly diagnosed cancers in US adults were linked to avoidable risk factors, including cigarette smoking, excess body weight, and alcohol consumption. 

In Arizona alone, roughly 43,000 individuals received a cancer diagnosis last year. Elevated rates of skin cancer due to intense sun exposure, higher lung cancer mortality rates, and barriers to care in rural and underserved communities present unique challenges—challenges Banner MD Anderson was built to meet.

But as cancer cases rise, Banner MD Anderson continues to deliver extraordinary impact: nearly 70,000 patients received treatment last year from its multidisciplinary teams. Through personalized, evidence-based treatment plans and leading-edge therapies — including CAR-T, bispecific antibody therapy, tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte cellular immunotherapy, and histotripsy focused ultrasound — Banner MD Anderson ensures that patients can access tomorrow's medicine today.

This year, Banner became the first hospital system in Arizona to offer the Tulsa PRO procedure for prostate cancer patients and the first to perform robotic-assisted single-port nipple-sparing mastectomy for breast cancer patients, expanding options and improving outcomes for patients who once had limited access to such advanced care close to home.

"Cancer's impact is profound — and the urgency of our work has never been greater. Our growth from a single location to multiple facilities reflects our relentless pursuit of expanding access to every patient who needs us,” said Matthew Callister, MD, senior physician executive of Banner MD Anderson. “The best is still ahead as we continue pushing the boundaries of what exceptional, accessible, and innovative cancer care looks like.”

Banner MD Anderson is equally committed to catching cancer early, expanding screenings directly to the communities it serves. Mammography screenings at Banner Gateway Medical Center reached 8,344 women in 2025, while The BIG Pink Bus, its mobile mammography screening unit, saw remarkable momentum — rising from 983 screening in 2025 to a projected 1,300 by the end of 2026.

Banner MD Anderson continues to be on the front lines of cutting-edge research in some of oncology's most challenging areas. There are currently over 155 active clinical trials, including 10 in collaboration with MD Anderson researchers, which have expanded from Gilbert’s campus to Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix, Banner Thunderbird Medical Center, and to its two locations in Colorado - broadening access to groundbreaking research across the region. 

Recent results underscore the promise of that research. A genetically engineered virus combined with immunotherapy shrank tumors in one in three patients with treatment-resistant melanoma, with 15% achieving complete remission and more than half remaining cancer-free two years later. Additionally, Banner MD Anderson is one of only 20 sites nationwide testing a personalized immunotherapy technique for glioblastoma, with early results showing 88% of patients alive at one year, compared to 60% with standard treatment.

“Congratulations to the Banner MD Anderson community for reaching this 15-year milestone. We applaud the great work done to provide patients in Arizona and Northern Colorado with high-quality cancer care,” said Jeffrey E. Lee, M.D., president ad interim of MD Anderson. “We look forward to many more years of collaboration to advance our shared mission to end cancer.”

From the very beginning, the community has made Banner MD Anderson’s mission its own. The Banner Health Foundation was crucial in raising charitable funds for the facility’s opening, and today, more than $63 million has been raised from nearly 9,000 donors to support a wide range of needs including program expansion, diagnostic imaging, integrative oncology services, research initiatives, patient lodging and financial assistance programs, and more.

That generosity has brought screening, treatment, and support directly to the people who need it most. For example, The Home Away from Home program offers free lodging support to qualifying patients who travel from outside the Phoenix metro area for cancer care and treatment at Banner MD Anderson, and The BIG Pink Bus travels throughout Maricopa County, bringing early breast cancer detection services directly to women in the community — particularly those who may face barriers to care. Additionally, the T.W. Lewis Melanoma Center of Excellence was established in 2017 thanks to a generous matching gift from the T.W. Lewis Foundation and the support of many donors, making it the region’s leading center for melanoma diagnosis and treatment.

Hall of Fame wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald has been a champion of Banner MD Anderson since its founding — serving as the Honorary Chair of the 2011 Cancer Has Met Its Match campaign that raised $20 million — and recently donating an additional $1 million to cancer programs. The breast health center at Banner MD Anderson's downtown Phoenix facility has been named in honor of his late mother, Carol Fitzgerald.

“I have had the privilege of witnessing firsthand what happens when a community decides that no one should face cancer alone. What this community has built with us over the last 15 years is incredibly impactful,” said Andy Petersen, president of the Banner Health Foundation. "The millions raised means that patients can access critical cancer programs and support, regardless of their circumstances. When Larry Fitzgerald recently donated to our program again, it was a powerful reminder that behind every gift is a story. That’s what drives us — and that is what makes this community so extraordinary.”

As Banner Health looks ahead, its commitment to the community remains as strong as ever, driven by the belief that everyone deserves access to exceptional care. Join us in celebrating this milestone by watching Banner MD Anderson's commemorative broadcast. To learn more about its locations, clinical trials, and community programs, please visit our website.

About Banner Health
Banner Health's mission is to make health care easier, so life can be better. As one of the nation's largest fully integrated nonprofit health systems, we are pioneering a sustainable care model that prioritizes prevention, manages chronic disease, and reduces health spending – succeeding when patients stay healthy, not when they get sick. We operate 33 hospitals and more than 400 sites across six states, delivering seamless care from primary to quaternary medicine, including health insurance, physician networks, world-renowned specialty services, and behavioral health. Accountable to the communities we serve, we reinvest every dollar into advancing care, research, and facilities, providing more than $1 billion each year in community benefit. Through our partnership with the University of Arizona, we drive clinical discoveries across more than 800 trials and train more than 1,300 residents and fellows annually. Headquartered in Arizona, we serve Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, and Wyoming. Our hospitals are consistently ranked among Arizona's top-performing by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com/about.

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