The Surgery Branch of the National Cancer Institute is a combined laboratory and clinical research unit devoted to the development of innovative cancer immunotherapies and their translation to the treatment of patients with cancer. Efforts run the gamut from basic studies of cancer immunology to the conduct of clinical immunotherapy trials for patients with metastatic cancer. The Surgery Branch was responsible for the development of interleukin-2 (IL-2), the first effective immunotherapy in humans, the development of cell transfer immunotherapies for melanoma and other solid cancers, the first insertion of foreign genes into humans and the first development of effective human cancer immunotherapies based on the genetic engineering of autologous lymphocytes with genes encoding anti-tumor T cell receptors or chimeric antigen receptors.

Our highly trained physicians develop and conduct a wide range of clinical trials in a quest to develop the medicines of tomorrow for patients with cancer, HIV or immunodeficiency disorders.  All of our trials take place at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD, the world's largest research hospital, and through telehealth.  Once you are enrolled in a clinical trial at the Clinical Center, medical care is free.