The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Health is seeking $350 million from South Carolina legislators to fund a new comprehensive cancer hospital in downtown Charleston, adjacent to Rutledge Tower on the MUSC campus. [web:context]
Approved by the hospital’s governing board in April, the facility aims to achieve National Cancer Institute (NCI) Comprehensive Cancer Center designation—the first in the state—elevating from its current tier-two Clinical Cancer Center status. This upgrade would expand research, attract top scientists and jobs, increase NCI grants from $11 million to $14 million over five years, and address South Carolina’s higher-than-average cancer mortality rates despite lower incidence. [web:context]
MUSC plans to apply for NCI designation in 2028, with the hospital opening in 2030, requiring broader research depth and community outreach. The state has already provided $5 million annually (ongoing) plus $10 million recurring since 2022 to support these efforts, anticipating a strong return through lifesaving treatments and reduced cancer burden. [web:context]…