For Immediate Release
January 12, 2005
Deborah Pettibone
Roswell Park Cancer Institute

Laurie Roberts
Cayuga Medical Center

Roswell Park Affiliate in Ithaca to Unveil Radiation Medicine Service January 17

ITHACA, NY – Cancer patients in Tompkins County and the Finger Lakes region will have access to state-of-the-art radiation therapy services as of January 17 with the opening of Cayuga Medical Center (CMC) Radiation Medicine.

That’s welcome news for cancer patients in the region, some of whom have chosen to travel long distances in recent years to receive radiation oncology services.

The new $6.5 million facility, located adjacent to Cayuga Medical Center, will be operated in conjunction with Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Upstate New York. Cayuga Medical Center became an affiliate of Roswell Park in 2004, and the new radiation medicine service was developed under the direction of RPCI physicians and staff.

Equipped with a Varian 21 EX Linear Accelerator, CMC Radiation Medicine will treat patients with advanced radiation technology, similar to that which currently is being installed at Roswell Park. The linear accelerator is designed to deliver Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) that enables radiation oncologists to deliver treatment more accurately. The equipment will also provide respiratory gating and portal imaging that helps to better focus the radiation treatments.
The state-of-the-art technology will be used to treat all cancers that respond to radiation therapy, including prostate, breast, head and neck, lung, colorectal and brain tumors.

“This is an historic time for all of us at Cayuga Medical Center and the region,” said Rob Mackenzie, MD, CMC president and CEO. “What was a vision has become reality, and now in partnership with Roswell Park Cancer Institute, we are able to offer Tompkins County and Finger Lakes region cancer patients world-class radiation medicine services. Furthermore, our affiliation with such a respected and renowned cancer center as Roswell Park elevates the care of cancer patients to levels previously unattainable in Ithaca and surrounding communities.”

David C. Hohn, MD, Roswell Park President and CEO, commended CMC officials for responding to the needs of area cancer patients by building the state-of-the-art radiation medicine facility. “Over the last year, Roswell Park has developed a close relationship with Dr. Mackenzie, his administrative team and CMC oncologists, and we have been particularly impressed with their commitment to the region’s cancer patients,” he remarked. “We are delighted to be an integral part of this new enterprise which gives patients access to such high quality, technologically advanced radiation therapy services.”

Among the many features of the new radiation medicine facility is electronic teleconferencing that is linked to Roswell Park, enabling cancer care specialists at CMC and RPCI to collaborate in the development of patients’ treatment plans.

“Electronic teleconferencing essentially puts us all in the same room at the same time,” said Michael Kuettel, MD, MBA, PhD, Chairman of the Department of Radiation Medicine at Roswell Park. He noted that in response to patients’ needs, Roswell Park now houses one of the most technologically-advanced teleconference suites in Western New York. “Together, we will be able to view CT scans, examine tissue slides, and discuss treatment protocols and clinical trials while providing Cayuga Medical Center Radiation Medicine patients with the same quality care available at Roswell Park,” Dr. Kuettel explained.

The three-story, 6,000 square foot addition to the medical center was designed by HOLT Architects of Ithaca, NY. General contractor was Gaetano Construction Inc., Utica, NY.

Cayuga Medical Center offers state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment services to residents of Ithaca and the greater Finger Lakes region. CMC is designated by the American College of Surgeons as a Community Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Program, one of only 19 in New York State. For more information, visit CMC’s website at www.cayugamed.org.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute, founded in 1898, is the nation’s first cancer research, treatment and education center and is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Upstate New York. RPCI is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers. For more information, visit the RPCI website at www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or e-mail askrpci@roswellpark.org.

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