The University of Colorado Cancer Center has received prestigious designation from National Cancer Institute making it one among nation's 41 cancer centers to be conferred with the designation.

Dr. Dan Theodorescu, Director of CU Cancer Center said that they feel 'honored' by the designation. "This designation means we are among the 'best of the best' - without peer here in Colorado. We are proud to bring that level of care to our community, while continuing to research and develop clinical trials that keep our patients living longer," he said in a statement.

To receive the designation from the NCI, the center had to undergo a 'rigorous review' in July 2011, says the statement.

The Centre was first honored with the designation in 1987 as a clinical cancer center. In 1997, it received its 'comprehensive' designation and in 2005, its 'consortium' designation. Now, in 2012 it has been once again conferred with the designation, and its current status of 'consortium' remains.

'Consortium' designated centers apparently 'embrace multiple universities' and here, CU centre has University of Colorado Denver, University of Colorado-Boulder and Colorado State University under its wings.

"Our investigators lead the way in identifying cancer targets and biomarkers and in developing personalized medicine for our patients. The CU Cancer Center is an invaluable resource for cancer patients and their families in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region," said Theodorescu.

"Anyone can use the term cancer center, but the designation as a 'comprehensive cancer center' from the NCI sets us apart from every other cancer center in Colorado," he said.

At CU Cancer Center, outcomes in patients with some types of cancer are better than state and national averages. For example, the five year survival rate for people with advance stage non-small cell lung cancer is more than double the national average, reports RedOrbit.

The Center has its Headquarters at University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, which has been in news for past couple of months as being the school where Aurora shooting Suspect James Holmes spent a brief period of time.