MedStar Health is celebrating the four-year anniversary of MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center.
Opening shortly before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the newly renovated and updated cancer center has provided Prince George’s County and the southern Maryland region with unprecedented access to state-of-the-art cancer treatment and clinical trials through its partnership with the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, the only institution in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region designated a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
While MedStar Southern Maryland has been treating cancer patients for more than 40 years, the scope and convenience of its treatment offerings has greatly expanded since MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute opened its doors at the hospital on Feb. 27, 2020. For example, patients now have access to a larger chemotherapy infusion facility, an expanded set of clinical trials, and advanced radiotherapy — like ZAP-X® Radiosurgery. By making the latest cancer-fighting tools more conveniently available to patients, clinicians at the Clinton, Maryland-based hospital can improve the treatment of cancers more frequently seen in the local community, like breast, lung, and prostate cancers.
“Giving our patients access to this cancer center on-site at our hospital was a huge step forward in addressing our area’s need for truly advanced, multi-disciplinary cancer care,” said Stephen T. Michaels, MD, president of MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center. “Cancer care is not new to us, but we’re thrilled to be leading the next generation of cancer care in our community by offering truly cutting-edge treatments to those we serve.”
“In a short time, MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center has distinguished itself as an asset to all of Southern Maryland,” said Maryland State Senator Michael A. Jackson, who represents parts of Calvert, Charles, and Prince George’s County. “In just four years, the facility has brought cutting edge treatment options to our region and I’m genuinely excited to see how it’ll continue to grow and serve our community in the years to come.”
Highlights of MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center include:
State-of-the-art facility
The facility offers 25,000 square feet of treatment space providing full-service cancer care from diagnosis to survivorship. This includes a state-of-the-art infusion center with thirteen treatment bays and a women’s imaging suite, with on-site DEXA bone density scans, ultrasound, and 3D mammography.
Advanced radiotherapy
The center’s robust radiation therapy capabilities include Halcyon™ radiotherapy offering faster, more accurate treatment for several types of tumors, and ZAP-X®, the first radiosurgery system dedicated to the treatment of brain cancers which is the first of its kind on the East Coast.
Access to Clinical Trials
Patients have access to clinical trials offered through Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, where they may have the opportunity to receive promising treatments before they become the new standard of care.
“We are proud to offer all of the tools and resources needed to treat the most complex cancer cases without requiring our patients to travel far distances to receive care,” said Kathan D. Mehta, MD, head of Hematology Oncology at MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center. “Cancer care is a team sport and we are ensuring that our community has access to a world-class team in their own backyard.”
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center’s cancer program is fully accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC). This designation recognizes the hospital for providing quality, comprehensive care using a multidisciplinary approach. Fewer than one-third of cancer programs in the country are CoC accredited. The hospital’s radiotherapy services are fully accredited by the American College of Radiology (ACR).
