As the lone National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center headquartered in the state, The University of Arizona Cancer Center at St. Joseph’s Hospital is bringing the future of cancer care to downtown Phoenix.
National Cancer Institute facilities are dedicated to fighting cancer through groundbreaking research and the Center’s goal is to have a clinical trial available to patients with any type of cancer. There are only 41 NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the nation.
Medical staff, who have been recruited from across the nation, will begin seeing patients at the new Center on Monday, Aug. 24. The Center is located on the Phoenix Biomedical Campus, next to the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, at Fillmore and 7th Streets. “We believe this facility and the extraordinary combined medical talents from St. Joseph’s and UA Cancer Center will allow us to set the standard for extraordinary cancer care,” said Patty White, president and CEO of Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center.
One of the country’s most forward-looking cancer centers, the new five-story, 220,000-square-foot facility provides comprehensive outpatient cancer care for a wide spectrum of malignant diseases. Inpatient care and select services, including surgery, will continue to be provided at St. Joseph’s main campus just a few blocks away.
“This Center reflects the University of Arizona’s commitment to improving the lives of all Arizonans,” said UA President Ann Weaver Hart. “The potent combination of leading-edge research and exemplary patient care means that today is a new day for cancer patients in Arizona. For nearly 40 years, the UA Cancer Center has been on the leading edge of cancer care. Now patients can get that care right here.”
The University of Arizona Cancer Center at St. Joseph’s Hospital offers every component for the continuum of cancer care – from educating those at an increased risk to providing cutting-edge treatment for those who have been diagnosed. Peter Lance, MD, medical director of The UA Clinical Research Unit and interim deputy director of the Center, said that there are currently “more than 100 clinical trials underway at the UA Cancer Center in Tucson. Now those trials will progressively open to Valley residents and our oncologists also will initiate their own trials.”
The Center will offer precision medicine, which can tailor treatment to an individual through services such as advanced imaging of tumors, medical genetics and genetic counseling. In addition to treating cancer, the center will offer preventative care and education to encourage individuals to change lifestyle behaviors, such as smoking and obesity, that might increase the risk of cancer. The center features a demonstration kitchen that will help educate patients, staff and the community about the importance of good nutrition, weight management and their role in cancer prevention.
The new building features: 70 exam rooms, 44 infusion chairs, three endoscopy rooms, 8-9 rooms for minor procedures and clinical research. Additionally there is a supportive care and survivorship area that includes a meditation room, rehabilitation and therapy rooms, space for support groups, the demonstration kitchen and a boutique that will carry specialty items for patients and survivors.. The new center also includes a healing garden.
