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November 2004 New radiation therapy services added at Sharon Regional's Cancer Care Center Sharon Regional Health System's Cancer Care Center, 2320 Highland Rd., Hermitage, now offers Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), which is the latest development in the field of radiation therapy. It completely alters the way radiation therapy is planned and delivered, enabling tumors to be treated in areas that were previously difficult to reach. The pinpoint accuracy of radiation delivery through IMRT spares damage to healthy tissue and organs surrounding the tumor, even in cases where the tumor has wrapped itself around a vital organ. The Cancer Care Center currently operates a Siemens Primus Linear Accelerator, which now delivers IMRT after undergoing a hardware/software upgrade. In the past, patients with advanced cancers of the head and neck, as well as those in the brain and several other areas who could benefit from IMRT, had to travel to Pittsburgh, Cleveland, or other distant cities for treatment. Dennis Ulewicz, M.D., director of Radiation Oncology at the Cancer Care Center, welcomes the addition of the new service. "IMRT is a tremendous advance in cancer care for the residents this area. It allows us to be even more precise in the delivery of radiation therapy to cancerous tumors and also allows us to retreat certain tumors," stated Dr. Ulewicz. "This new form of radiation therapy was previously only available to patients at centers outside our area. This is another example of Sharon Regional bringing advanced care close to home." The addition of IMRT services to Sharon Regional's Cancer Care Center further positions the facility as the only comprehensive cancer treatment center in Mercer County. In addition to the radiation therapy services, the Center also offers medical oncology consultations and treatments by specialists George Garrow, M.D., Cynthia Sile, M.D., and Jeffrey Gryn, M.D. The Center also offers access to national clinical trials, CT simulation, palliative care, plus a number of support services to meet the physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual challenges of cancer. For more information, please call the Cancer Care Center at 724-983-5900. |
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