‘Cancer care closer to home’
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Washington unveils sophisticated radiation machine
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at UPMC Washington on Tuesday marked a major milestone in its capabilities to help patients fight cancer with the addition of a linear accelerator, a sophisticated radiation machine that brings cutting-edge cancer treatment to Washington County.
UMPC Washington held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the hospital to celebrate the installation of the new, second linear accelerator, which was added to meet growing community needs and to provide advanced cancer care for more people, closer to home.
The Linac delivers highly precise forms of radiation therapy used to treat tumors in the body and brain in fewer sessions – often in just one to five treatments compared to traditional radiation therapy that may require multiple sessions over several weeks.
Before the addition of the Linac, patients who needed that level of care would have to travel to Pittsburgh.
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center is an NCI-Designated Cancer Center – a hospital or university recognized by the U.S. government for top-tier cancer research and care.
Out of roughly 1,500 cancer centers in the U.S., only about 57 have earned the designation, according to Beth Wild, President of UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and a graduate of Trinity High School and Notre Dame University.
Wild said the Linac is “an important addition to UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at UPMC Washington.”
“I’ve traveled a lot in my career, and I can tell you not all areas in the country enjoy access to NCI-designated comprehensive care in a community like Washington. If you lived elsewhere, you might have to travel to a city, to an academic hub, to be treated with this type of equipment, and due to shortages and capacity, which exist in a lot of places, you might have to wait for that treatment,” said Wild. “With the addition of a second state-of-the-art machine here in Washington, we can ensure that patients will not only receive the best possible care, but they’ll receive it as soon as they need it.”
Dr. Ziad Fawaz, a radiation oncologist and medical director of UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at UPMC Washington, said the new machine will result in shorter treatment times, fewer visits, and greater comfort for patients.
The Linac targets tumors with great accuracy, reducing the risk of damage to nearby health tissue.
It will be used to treat several cancers, including tumors on the brain or in the spine, liver, or bones.
“As a physician, it’s easy to get excited about new technology, new machines, and what it brings in terms of access for our patients, but it’s really more about the whole care we provide our patients. It’s safe, more convenient, and more efficient for them,” said Fawaz. “I’m looking forward to even more access and more care that we can provide to patients who live in the Washington community.”
Brook Ward, president of UPMC Washington and UPMC Greene, said the new machine “ensures patients can receive the highest care right here in our community.”
“This is about ensuring people in Washington county and the surrounding area receive advanced cancer care closer to home, surrounded by and supported by the systems that are most important to them,” said Ward. “It’s also really about the team, the staff. The technology is one thing, but it’s the people who deliver the care, it’s their expertise, their compassion, their commitment that drives it home.”