In 1975, The Perlmutter Cancer Center was founded and received National Cancer Institute (NCI) Designation  status. Its mission is to bring visionary thinking and compassionate care to the science of treating cancer and to educate the community and health care professionals about the latest research and information about cancer detection, diagnosis, treatment, and survival.

PCC serves the metropolitan New York City area, and treats patients in facilities located in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island. The center conducts cutting-edge basic, translational, clinical, and population research with the aim of enhancing cancer prevention, devising new cancer treatments, and improving patient outcomes and quality of life.