FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE       

June 4, 2007

CONTACT: Cheri Russum, 425-304-0591 or Kathy Moore 425-259-1180
Providence Regional Cancer Partnership
  

Providence Regional Cancer Partnership Opens June 18
$64 Million Five-story Building with $10.8 Million in new Cancer-fighting Technology

Everett, WA --- Opening on June 18, 2007, the Providence Regional Cancer Partnership is located in a $64 million state-of-the-art building at 1717 – 13th Street in Everett. The Cancer Partnership is the result of a first-ever collaboration between four leading medical groups – Providence Everett Medical Center, The Everett Clinic, Western Washington Medical Group and Northwest Washington Radiation Oncology Associates. With the exception of surgery, the Cancer Partnership offers all aspects of cancer care under one roof including chemotherapy, radiation oncology, integrative medicine, counseling services and clinical research. 

The Cancer Partnership will host some of the most sought-after cancer technology never before available in the Puget Sound region:

• Tomotherapy – one of only 120 in the world – is a marriage of CT scanning and radiation delivery; rotating around a patient to not only acquire an image, but deliver a highly focused intense beam of radiation to the cancer, thus minimizing radiation exposure to healthy tissue.
  
• Varian Trilogy Linear Accelerator – one of only 54 in the world – is an image-guided radiotherapy system which combines 4-D imaging and treatment technologies to deliver radiation beams within one-millimeter accuracy.

In addition to the latest technology, the Cancer Partnership’s program design adds evidence-based complementary therapy integrated with traditional medical treatments. This integrative approach includes acupuncture, hypnosis, touch therapies, massage, Qigong, nutritional counseling, naturopathy, and other therapies. The Cancer Partnership also offers cancer support services that incorporate distress management tools including patient and family counseling, support groups, chaplaincy, cancer-related psychopharmacology services and behavioral medicine.

The Cancer Partnership also hosts a robust cancer research program with 15 physician investigators in medical, radiation, surgical and thoracic oncology. More than 20 clinical trials are available; including Phase III and IV national trials.

Elie Saikaly, MD, Medical Director of the Providence Regional Cancer Partnership, says, “This opening marks a great day in the evolution of healthcare in Snohomish County. There has been a determined focus on recruiting the top cancer care experts to this region—oncologists, surgeons and other healthcare experts pool their expertise and experience for a new level of multi-disciplinary medicine. Add in the world-class technology and all the patient-centered amenities this Cancer Partnership offers, and patients will get the most advanced care available, right here in Everett.”