Advancing Sustainable, Resilient, and Equitable Cancer Care
Based at Dartmouth Cancer Center
OUR RESEARCH PRIORITIES
ADAPTATION &
CLIMATE RESILIENCY
We study how climate change disrupts cancer care and outcomes—such as through wildfires, air pollution, hurricanes, or infrastructure strain—and identify opportunities to build more resilient care delivery systems.
HEALTHCARE DECARBONIZATION
& SUSTAINABILITY
We use tools like life cycle assessment (LCA) to quantify the environmental footprint of cancer care and identify scalable solutions—from imaging and radiation therapy to waste reduction and energy use.
Healthier Patients. Healthier Planet.
At the Lichter GreenHealth Lab, we believe the future of cancer care must be patient-centered, environmentally sustainable, climate-resilient, and deeply rooted in health equity.
Our mission is to generate the evidence, tools, and partnerships needed to reduce the environmental impact of cancer care delivery—while ensuring every patient receives high-quality, uninterrupted care. By using the cancer care continuum as a model, we’re identifying opportunities for transformation across the healthcare system—from imaging and radiation therapy to long-term survivorship.
Why Now?
Cancer care is uniquely vulnerable to—and a contributor to—our changing climate. Extreme weather, wildfires, and system-level disruptions increasingly threaten patient access, safety, and outcomes. At the same time, energy-intensive processes in oncology generate a significant environmental footprint, often without adding clinical value.
We aim to change that—by making cancer care both climate-smart and patient-centered.
Our Approach
We bring together researchers, clinicians, trainees, patient advocates, and policy leaders to:
Quantify the environmental impact of cancer care delivery—from diagnostics to survivorship
Understand how climate and environmental factors affect cancer outcomes
Center the patient voice to guide sustainable and resilient care design
Identify opportunities to decarbonize care without compromising quality and/or the patient experience
Develop actionable tools, decision aids, and system-wide strategies
Model scalable, sustainable solutions that can transform health systems beyond oncology
Featured Projects
SUSTAIN: Sustainable Transformation in Breast Imaging and Radiology
Life Cycle Assessment of Radiotherapy & the Breast Cancer Care Pathway (LCA-RT)
Wildfires and Disruptions to Cancer Care
Plastic Waste in Oncology: A Systematic Review
Scoping Review of the Cancer Care Pathway for Decarbonization Opportunities
Upper Valley Climate-Cancer Risk Mapping and Resilience Planning (NEW)
- Patient Perspectives on Sustainability in Cancer Care (NEW)
- A qualitative study exploring how patients experience and perceive sustainability in their own cancer care—from trust and transparency to choices about imaging, treatment, and transport. This project ensures that environmental interventions align with patient values, equity, and clinical priorities.
Join Us
The Lichter GreenHealth Lab is growing.
We welcome partnerships with funders, foundations, researchers, clinicians, and students who share our commitment to transforming cancer care. Based in the Upper Valley and connected nationally, we aim to lead a new era of research and action at the intersection of cancer, climate, and equity.
Get in touch → [email protected], Katie Lichter MD MPH, Principal Investigator