Being able to offer this level of care in southern New Hampshire means hundreds more patients won’t have to drive long distances while managing logistics, finances, fatigue and other side effects.
Charles R. Thomas Jr., MDHundreds of patients each year will now have access to full cancer treatment and oncology services in one convenient location. Dartmouth Cancer Center welcomed the first patients to its new radiation oncology center located at Dartmouth Health’s Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinics Manchester, located at 100 Hitchcock Way in Manchester. The recent addition of a dedicated 6,750-square-foot space in the facility brings the same level of comprehensive care currently available in Lebanon to greater Manchester.
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the new Manchester radiation oncology facility on Monday, July 28, with Dartmouth Health CEO and president Joanne M. Conroy, MD, Dartmouth Cancer Center director Steven D. Leach, MD, Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais, and other leaders from the cancer center in attendance.
Patients can now see their oncologists, get test results from the in-house lab, and receive any of the primary cancer treatment modalities—radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgery—all in one location.
“Radiation therapy is often needed several days a week, for several weeks,” said Charles R. Thomas Jr., MD, chair of the department of radiation oncology and applied sciences at Dartmouth Cancer Center. “Being able to offer this level of care in southern New Hampshire means hundreds more patients won’t have to drive long distances while managing logistics, finances, fatigue and other side effects. They can stay close to home, stay connected to loved ones, and still receive the same evidence-based treatment protocols you’d find at major academic centers.”
This multi-million-dollar investment by Dartmouth Health will significantly improve access and coordination of care for patients living in southern New Hampshire. Cancer treatment can be a long journey, with care visits happening monthly, weekly or even daily. Having nearby locations for consultations, tests and treatment can make the treatment journey less stressful and more manageable for patients and their loved ones.
“With more than half of all cancer patients receiving radiation therapy as part of their treatment, this new center dramatically expands access to comprehensive cancer care in the greater Manchester region,” said Deborah F. Scribner, vice president of oncology services at Dartmouth Cancer Center. “We’re proud to bring world-class oncology expertise and multiple treatment options under one roof, closer to where people live. It’s part of Dartmouth Health’s commitment to meet patients where they are with the highest standard of care.”
Benefits to patients of receiving radiation therapy close to home include:
- High-quality, personalized care: Dartmouth Cancer Center is one of only 57 National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated comprehensive cancer centers in the United States. Research shows that receiving care at an NCI-designated cancer center can improve outcomes by up to 25%. Experienced professionals will be using the most advanced technology to provide patients with individual treatment plans while ensuring care is tailored to an individual’s specific needs.
- Convenience and accessibility: Radiation therapy often requires daily sessions. Having care close to home in the same site as chemotherapy and surgery care minimizes traveling long distances for each appointment and allows patients to maintain their routines.
- Emotional and social support: Receiving care close to home provides less disruption for daily living and enables patients to stay connected with their support networks. Additionally, Dartmouth Cancer Center offers complementary care programs for all patients and their care partners that provide support and opportunities to enhance mental well-being. These programs can be accessed throughout the patient journey and beyond.
- Financial and practical benefits: Traveling for cancer treatment can add significant costs, including transportation, parking, lodging and meals. Having access to all treatment options in one location reduces these expenses. Having local access also helps patients start treatment quickly and efficiently.
Learn more at cancer.dartmouth.edu/hematology-oncology.
About Dartmouth Cancer Center
Dartmouth Cancer Center combines advanced cancer research at Dartmouth and the Geisel School of Medicine, with award-winning, personalized, and compassionate patient-centered cancer care and clinical trials based at the Norris Cotton Cancer Care Pavilion at Dartmouth Health's Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. With 14 locations around New Hampshire and Vermont, Dartmouth Cancer Center is one of only 57 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers. Each year the Dartmouth Cancer Center schedules 74,000 appointments seeing more than 4,500 newly diagnosed patients, and currently offers patients more than 240 active clinical trials. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022, Dartmouth Cancer Center remains committed to excellence, outreach and education. We strive to prevent and cure cancer, enhance survivorship and to promote cancer health equity through pioneering interdisciplinary research and collaborations. Learn more at the Dartmouth Cancer Center website.
About Dartmouth Health
Dartmouth Health, New Hampshire’s only academic health system and the state’s largest private employer, serves patients across northern New England. Dartmouth Health provides access to more than 2,000 providers in almost every area of medicine, delivering care at its flagship hospital, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) in Lebanon, NH, as well as across its wide network of hospitals, clinics and care facilities. DHMC is consistently named the #1 hospital in New Hampshire by U.S. News & World Report, and is recognized for high performance in numerous clinical specialties and procedures. Dartmouth Health includes Dartmouth Cancer Center, one of only 57 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the nation, and the only such center in northern New England; Dartmouth Health Children’s, which includes the state’s only children’s hospital and multiple locations around the region; member hospitals in Lebanon, Keene, Claremont and New London, NH, and Windsor and Bennington, VT; Visiting Nurse and Hospice for Vermont and New Hampshire; and more than 24 clinics that provide ambulatory and specialty services across New Hampshire and Vermont. Through its historical partnership with Dartmouth and the Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Health trains nearly 400 medical residents and fellows annually, and performs cutting-edge research and clinical trials recognized across the globe with Geisel and the White River Junction VA Medical Center in White River Junction, VT. Dartmouth Health and its more than 13,000 employees are deeply committed to serving the healthcare needs of everyone in our communities, and to providing each of our patients with exceptional, personal care.