Planned Cancer Center in Ohio Will Improve Care
August 24, 2007
CINCINNATI (Source: Cincinnati Children's Medical Center)—Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University Hospital and the University of Cincinnati have committed $60 million in seed money over the next five years to establish a joint cancer center. The center will enhance and coordinate oncology care from childhood to adulthood in southern Ohio and beyond, with the goal of one day earning special designation from the National Cancer Institute, says David Stern, M.D., dean of the university's College of Medicine.
That designation could mean hundreds of millions of dollars in federal research money down the road.
“Cancer is a particular problem in southern Ohio, where cancer rates per county are high across all racial groups,” explains Stern. “Cancer of the bladder, esophagus, pancreas, liver and ovary are on the rise in our region—despite greater awareness of the diseases and earlier access to medical care in Ohio.”
The joint cancer-center effort is being spearheaded by Stern; James Anderson, president and CEO of Cincinnati Children’s; Arnold Strauss, M.D., chair of pediatrics at UC and director of the Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation; and James Kingsbury, executive director and senior vice president of University Hospital.
The initial funds will provide the needed jump-start to establish a world-class integrated adult and pediatric cancer center. The money will be used to build and upgrade facilities and new clinical programs, attract leading physicians and scientists and speed research to improve diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. A formal name has not yet been determined.
“Our vision is to establish a joint cancer center that integrates the best of all our institutions and allows us to coordinate cancer care across all age groups and strengthen our recruitment of more top-notch clinicians and outstanding cancer researchers to Cincinnati,” says Strauss. “We are good at what we do—but we can do more for our current patients and the entire community by working together.”
Kingsbury adds that a major strength of a joint cancer program is the resulting specialized, multidisciplinary care.
“Our cancer specialists have dedicated groups that meet weekly to discuss individual patient cases and map out the best treatment plan possible for that person,” Kingsbury explains. “Working together with Cincinnati Children’s and UC will complete the continuum of care.”
Survival rates of pediatric cancer patients are improving, with more children surviving into adulthood. The joint cancer center will enhance the ability to better care for these young patients as they become adults, Anderson notes.
“With a closer working relationship between pediatric and adult oncologists, we can improve the care not only to our youngest patients as they become our older patients, but to all our patients,” he says. “This will indeed take our program to the next level.”
While the joint cancer program continues seeking additional funding for facility and program expansions, all pediatric cancer care will continue to be administered at current facilities operated by Cincinnati Children’s.
“However, over time it’s likely that new facilities will be designed and constructed to include shared clinical activities—especially in programs that involve continued monitoring of childhood cancer survivors as they mature into adulthood and beyond,” Kingsbury says.
<< Back
August 24, 2007
CINCINNATI (Source: Cincinnati Children's Medical Center)—Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University Hospital and the University of Cincinnati have committed $60 million in seed money over the next five years to establish a joint cancer center. The center will enhance and coordinate oncology care from childhood to adulthood in southern Ohio and beyond, with the goal of one day earning special designation from the National Cancer Institute, says David Stern, M.D., dean of the university's College of Medicine.
That designation could mean hundreds of millions of dollars in federal research money down the road.
“Cancer is a particular problem in southern Ohio, where cancer rates per county are high across all racial groups,” explains Stern. “Cancer of the bladder, esophagus, pancreas, liver and ovary are on the rise in our region—despite greater awareness of the diseases and earlier access to medical care in Ohio.”
The joint cancer-center effort is being spearheaded by Stern; James Anderson, president and CEO of Cincinnati Children’s; Arnold Strauss, M.D., chair of pediatrics at UC and director of the Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation; and James Kingsbury, executive director and senior vice president of University Hospital.
The initial funds will provide the needed jump-start to establish a world-class integrated adult and pediatric cancer center. The money will be used to build and upgrade facilities and new clinical programs, attract leading physicians and scientists and speed research to improve diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. A formal name has not yet been determined.
“Our vision is to establish a joint cancer center that integrates the best of all our institutions and allows us to coordinate cancer care across all age groups and strengthen our recruitment of more top-notch clinicians and outstanding cancer researchers to Cincinnati,” says Strauss. “We are good at what we do—but we can do more for our current patients and the entire community by working together.”
Kingsbury adds that a major strength of a joint cancer program is the resulting specialized, multidisciplinary care.
“Our cancer specialists have dedicated groups that meet weekly to discuss individual patient cases and map out the best treatment plan possible for that person,” Kingsbury explains. “Working together with Cincinnati Children’s and UC will complete the continuum of care.”
Survival rates of pediatric cancer patients are improving, with more children surviving into adulthood. The joint cancer center will enhance the ability to better care for these young patients as they become adults, Anderson notes.
“With a closer working relationship between pediatric and adult oncologists, we can improve the care not only to our youngest patients as they become our older patients, but to all our patients,” he says. “This will indeed take our program to the next level.”
While the joint cancer program continues seeking additional funding for facility and program expansions, all pediatric cancer care will continue to be administered at current facilities operated by Cincinnati Children’s.
“However, over time it’s likely that new facilities will be designed and constructed to include shared clinical activities—especially in programs that involve continued monitoring of childhood cancer survivors as they mature into adulthood and beyond,” Kingsbury says.
<< Back
