News Release

UPMC NORTHWEST OPENS NEW CANCER CENTER
Hospital is the first in the region to offer a powerful new form of radiation treatment

Jan. 28, 2005 — UPMC Northwest has opened its new Radiation Oncology Unit (Cancer Center) that is the first in the region to offer intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), a powerful new weapon to fight cancer.

A reassuring environment, highly-skilled radiation treatment team, and supportive personal care also are prominent features of the expansive new facility on the ground floor of the new hospital in Seneca, says radiation oncologist Joanne Dragun, MD.

The new home of UPMC Northwest’s radiation treatment program – which continues the hospital’s tradition of excellence in cancer care – provides comprehensive, high quality care for area residents who need radiation therapy.

The centerpiece of the new unit is the leading edge Siemens ONCOR Linear Accelerator. With the ONCOR system’s IMRT function and an important companion component – the ADAC 3-D Treatment Planning System – UPMC Northwest’s radiation oncology team can customize the shape and direction of the radiation beam, maximizing dosage to the tumor while sparing normal tissue from exposure. This lets team members deliver more precise, more powerful doses of radiation than ever against prostate, breast, lung, head and neck, and other cancers, Dr. Dragun says.

The ONCOR is especially patient-friendly: patients get faster, more comfortable treatment with fewer side effects and better outcomes, according to senior radiation therapist Kelly Smith. “This is state-of-the-art radiation treatment,” Ms. Smith says.

In addition to the ONCOR system, the new Cancer Center has a spacious lobby, more exam rooms, an accommodating treatment waiting room, a covered entrance and plenty of parking.

Another feature is the ability to obtain CT, MRI and PET images – which are needed to formulate each patient’s treatment plan – directly from the new hospital’s Imaging department via its state-of-the-art Stentor iSite digital imaging system. With the Stentor system, doctors can view images instantaneously from computers anywhere in the hospital

The Cancer Center also features the same hallmarks of UPMC Northwest’s radiation oncology program that patients have come to expect, including “putting patients first and supporting them with a team of gifted caregivers,” Dr. Dragun says.

With treatment options like IMRT, “we’re better equipped than ever to meet our patients’ needs,” Dr. Dragun says. “They will receive excellent care in our state-of-the-art environment.”

UPMC Northwest holds accreditation from the American College of Radiation Oncology and the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. It is the only hospital in northwestern Pennsylvania – and one of a select group of hospitals statewide – to have achieved both of these marks of excellence.

With the opening of the new Cancer Center, UPMC Northwest has closed the former radiation oncology unit that was located in the West Unit at the hospital’s Franklin campus.

Patients can call the new Cancer Center at 814-676-7900.