St. Luke’s Hospital’s board of directors Friday approved the hospital joining a cancer partners advisory board organized by Kansas University Medical Center.

The approval had been expected since KUMC and KU Hospital completed their affiliation agreement that called for the creation of the board with KUMC, the Stowers Institute, KU Hospital and St. Luke’s as members. Stormont-Vail Hospital also will attend meetings as a representative of KU’s Midwest Cancer Alliance.

The group will focus on working together in cancer research, drug discovery and clinical trials.

“We look forward to bringing St. Luke’s Cancer Institute’s depth of experience and wide patient base together with area partners with a goal of enhancing patient care in the Kansas City area,” St. Luke’s President and CEO G. Richard Hastings said.

The advisory board is yet to be named but was envisioned as a way to assist KUMC in achieving the National Cancer Institute designation it is working to obtain. The advisory board will not take a name similar to any member hospital – which should exclude using Kansas University in the name – and the board will not have oversight of clinical care.

Dr. Roy Jensen, director of the KU Cancer Center, said he was pleased St. Luke’s was joining the advisory board.

“I think it’s an important step forward in the process of making this a true regional effort. … We want to move next toward convening this group together.”

Jensen said having more regional partners is in line with an effort by NCI to encourage new and existing centers to have an impact regionally on research and health care.