Top 10 U.S. Hospitals For Chemotherapy & Cancer Care 2026

Table of Contents

Where America’s Best Oncology Centers Stand This Year

A cancer diagnosis changes everything overnight — and one of the first, most consequential decisions a patient and their family face is choosing where to get treated. Chemotherapy protocols, surgical expertise, clinical trial access, and survivorship support can vary dramatically from one hospital to another, which is exactly why the annual U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals for Cancer rankings carry so much weight. The newest edition, covering 2026-2027 and published August 4, evaluated 4,494 hospitals nationwide on patient outcomes, nursing care, patient safety, and physician reputation to crown the country’s top oncology centers.

Top 10 Hospitals in the USA for Chemotherapy and Cancer Care (2026-2027 Rankings)

Here’s the full breakdown of the top 10 hospitals for cancer care and chemotherapy treatment in America this year — and what makes each one stand out.

1. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center — Houston, Texas

For the 12th consecutive year, MD Anderson holds the No. 1 spot in the nation, scoring an outstanding 99.3 out of 100. As one of the original National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer centers, MD Anderson treats an enormous volume of complex cases annually and is recognized as high-performing across nearly every major cancer type, including breast, lung, colorectal, leukemia, and prostate cancer.

2. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center — New York City

MSK has held steady at No. 2 for over a decade, scoring 88.7/100. Founded in 1884, it remains one of the oldest and most research-intensive cancer hospitals in the country, known for pioneering immunotherapy and precision oncology programs alongside its chemotherapy and radiation services.

3. Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center — Boston, Massachusetts

A partnership between Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, this center earned a score of 84.8/100 and marks its 25th consecutive year being recognized among the nation’s best. It’s particularly noted for leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and gynecological cancer surgery.

4. Mayo Clinic — Rochester, Minnesota

Mayo Clinic’s flagship campus combines deep multidisciplinary expertise with a research pipeline feeding directly into patient care, making it a top destination for patients seeking second opinions and complex, hard-to-treat cancers.

5. Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, Massachusetts

Mass General made one of the biggest leaps in this year’s rankings, climbing from 11th to 5th place thanks to stronger patient outcome and safety scores — proof that hospital rankings can shift meaningfully year to year.

6. Johns Hopkins Hospital — Baltimore, Maryland

Home to the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins blends a century-plus legacy of medical innovation with ongoing leadership in cancer immunology and genomics research.

7. Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania-Penn Presbyterian — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Penn’s cancer program climbed from 10th to 7th this year, reflecting its growing reputation in cellular therapies — Penn Medicine was instrumental in developing CAR T-cell therapy, now used to treat certain blood cancers.

8. Northwestern Memorial Hospital — Chicago, Illinois

A new entrant to the top 10 this year, Northwestern Medicine’s cancer program has strengthened its standing through the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, another NCI-designated institution.

9. Stanford Health Care-Stanford Hospital — Stanford, California

Stanford rounds out the West Coast’s representation in the top tier, known for integrating cutting-edge cancer research from Stanford University directly into clinical chemotherapy and targeted-therapy protocols.

10 (tie). Mount Sinai Hospital — New York City, and UCSF Health-UCSF Medical Center — San Francisco, California

Closing out the top 10 is a tie between two major academic medical centers. Mount Sinai has built a strong oncology program within one of NYC’s busiest hospital systems, while UCSF’s Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center is a long-standing NCI-designated leader on the West Coast.

How U.S. News Ranks Cancer Hospitals

These rankings aren’t based on reputation alone. U.S. News evaluates hospitals using a mix of risk-adjusted mortality and survival rates, nurse staffing levels, patient safety records, patient experience surveys, and structural resources like ICU capacity and advanced imaging technology, along with thousands of physician opinion surveys. This year’s edition also introduced regional specialty rankings for cancer care for the first time, helping patients weigh nationally elite centers against strong options closer to home.

What to Consider Beyond the Rankings

A national ranking is a useful starting point, but it isn’t the whole picture. When evaluating where to pursue chemotherapy, radiation, or cancer surgery, patients and families should also think about:

NCI designation — National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers (there are over 70 nationwide) must meet rigorous research and clinical-care standards.
Specialization in your specific cancer type — a hospital’s overall rank may differ from its ranking for your particular diagnosis.
Clinical trial availability — top academic centers often have access to experimental treatments not yet widely available.
Proximity and support systems — chemotherapy often requires months of repeat visits, so travel burden and local support matter for both outcomes and quality of life.
Insurance network coverage — even the best-ranked hospital may not be a feasible option if it’s out-of-network.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Which hospital is ranked No. 1 for cancer care in the U.S.?
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston has held the top spot in U.S. News & World Report’s rankings for 12 consecutive years, most recently scoring 99.3 out of 100 in the 2026-2027 rankings.

2. How many hospitals does U.S. News evaluate for its cancer rankings?
This year’s rankings evaluated 4,494 hospitals nationwide, assessing them on patient outcomes, safety, nursing care, patient experience, and physician reputation.

3. What does “NCI-designated” mean, and why does it matter?
NCI-designated cancer centers have been recognized by the National Cancer Institute for meeting rigorous standards in research, clinical care, and multidisciplinary treatment — many of the top-ranked hospitals, including MD Anderson, MSK, and UCSF, hold this designation.

4. Did any hospitals make a big jump in this year’s rankings?
Yes. Massachusetts General Hospital rose from 11th to 5th place, and Northwestern Memorial Hospital newly entered the top 10, both reflecting improved patient outcome and safety scores.

5. Are these rankings the same for every type of cancer?
Not necessarily. U.S. News also publishes performance data by specific cancer type and procedure (such as lung cancer surgery or leukemia/lymphoma/myeloma care), and a hospital’s overall rank can differ from its ranking for a specific diagnosis.

6. Is a higher-ranked hospital always the best choice for an individual patient?
Not automatically. Patients should also weigh specialization in their specific cancer type, clinical trial access, insurance coverage, and the practicality of frequent travel for chemotherapy or radiation appointments.

7. What’s new in the 2026-2027 rankings compared to previous years?
This year marks the first time U.S. News has released regional specialty rankings for cancer care, allowing patients to compare top-performing hospitals within their own metro area rather than only nationally.

8. Where can I find the full list of ranked cancer hospitals, not just the top 10?
The complete rankings, covering the top 50 cancer hospitals along with methodology details, are published on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals website (health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings).

9. How often are these hospital rankings updated?
U.S. News & World Report publishes updated Best Hospitals rankings, including the cancer specialty list, on an annual basis, typically each summer.

10. Do these rankings include pediatric cancer hospitals?
No, this list reflects adult cancer care rankings. U.S. News publishes a separate ranking specifically for pediatric cancer hospitals.

This article is for general informational purposes and reflects published rankings as of the 2026-2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals report. It is not medical advice. Anyone navigating a cancer diagnosis should discuss treatment options and hospital choice directly with their oncologist and care team.

Read Also: