NORMAL - The Community Cancer Center is an evolving, growing service that has added technology, techniques and collaboration since its inception 10 years ago. | One of the first patients of center still helping out

"Cancer patients wanted treatment and technology in one facility and practitioners to work together," said Barb Nathan, executive director of the cancer center at 407 E. Vernon Ave., Normal. "We have striven to ensure that."

The cancer center marks its 10th anniversary with a celebration dinner at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Doubletree Hotel & Conference Center in Bloomington. Nathan expects 450 people to attend the sold-out event.

"It's time to celebrate 10 years of medical care, disease management, service, technology and community," Nathan said. "It's also an opportunity to show the community what we've done with their investment.

"When we opened 10 years ago, it's not as if we said 'OK, we're done.' We have to continue to meet the challenge and I think we've done that."

What the community did in 1999 remains a rarity in 2009.

The Twin Cities' two medical centers, BroMenn Healthcare System and OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, decided to support a comprehensive cancer center rather than compete for cancer patients. About $6.5 million was raised by the hospitals and the community to build and equip the center on wooded property in Normal.

"Before the Community Cancer Center, the care was fragmented," said Dr. John Migas, a medical oncologist with Mid Illinois Hematology & Oncology Associates that is based at the cancer center. Cancer patients would get chemotherapy at BroMenn,

radiation at OSF St. Joseph and meet with their doctors at their offices.

Planning involved the two hospitals and three medical practices - Mid Illinois, Illinois CancerCare (also medical oncologists) and Cancer Care Associates (radiation oncologists) - that set up shop at the cancer center.

"Getting three practices to agree on guidelines and care plans was difficult, but we did it," said Migas.

"It's nice to be able to have all (patient) services together," said Dr. Patrick Gomez of Illinois CancerCare. "It fosters a team approach to take care of the patients."

Having medical oncologists and radiation oncologists in the same building makes it easier for doctors to discuss patient care, agreed Dr. Don Stacy of Cancer Care Associates.

"It's easier for me to walk over to Dr. Gomez and say, 'Here's what's going on.' That collaboration results in better care for the patient," Stacy said.

Advancements in care

In 10 years, technology and techniques have changed and medicine is better with fewer side effects, said Migas.

New technology has included the Cyberknife that allows for treatment of hard-to-reach or irregularly shaped tumors; IMRT (intensity modulated radiation therapy), which is more precise radiation therapy; and a PET (positron emission tomography) scanner that helps in the diagnosing, staging, treatment planning and monitoring the effectiveness of treatment.

More than $11.5 million have been spent on equipment and facility upgrades at the cancer center since it opened.

Treatment advances have included respiratory gating, which means radiating the left breast or lungs when the heart isn't in the way; partial breast radiation, which is more intense but precise radiation; Oncotype Dx, a test to assess the likelihood of breast cancer recurring to determine the best treatment; and TAILORx, which is studying whether intermediate risk patients can get a hormone pill and avoid chemotherapy.

Equally important has been the development of multi-disciplinary treatment planning and tumor boards that meet weekly to discuss treatment for some cancer patients. The number of boards, which include oncologists, radiologists, surgeons and other doctors, will increase this summer when lung cancer patients are added.

"The tumor boards mean that those patients whose cases are discussed get the opinion of nine or 10 doctors instead of one," said Migas, adding in some cases, treatment plans have changed.

As the cancer center celebrates its first decade, doctors know an expansion is needed for a third linear accelerator, more medical oncology space and more education and support services. Planning has begun.

"We're kind of bursting at the seams," Nathan said. "We've been responsive to the community and we need to expand as we did 10 years ago."

---

Community Cancer Center

- Services of the cancer center include medical oncology, radiation oncology, Cyberknife services, comprehensive breast services, nutritional services, social work services, coordination of multi-disciplinary treatment planning, community education, promotion of prevention and early detection and screening, a library, the cancer registry, and support groups.

- About 200 patients come to the cancer center each day for a variety of treatments, classes and consultations.

- Seventy people work and 140 people volunteer at the cancer center.

SOURCE: Barb Nathan