Cancer affects more than 1.3 million lives each year – including people living in Shawnee and the surrounding communities.
In the past 30 years, Unity Health Center has garnered a reputation for medical excellence by offering quality care and state-of-the-art technology in a variety of clinical settings. The area of cancer care is no exception.
Unity Health Center has long offered a wide variety of oncology services to meet the growing healthcare needs of physicians, patients, and the communities served by hospital. Through magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear medicine, mammography, and other technologically advanced equipment, the hospital has been able to offer the highest levels of diagnostic services. Radiation therapy and outpatient chemotherapy has been instrumental in helping cancer patients access quality care in or close to the community in which they live.
The Cancer Center oncology program has been broadened to include greater technology and expanded services and the commitment to provide comprehensive oncology services has been strengthened. The 24,000 square foot Cancer Center offers diagnostic and treatment modalities and services that are usually found in larger cities. The Center houses an oncology clinic, simulator room & linear accelerator. The center was designed to provide patients and their family’s convenient and easy access to services.
In addition, the Cancer Center is supported by a wide range of hospital services including laboratory services, social services, home health, and family and patient education.
The Simulator
In the treatment of cancer with radiation, a simulator is used to accurately pinpoint and define the area to be treated. In the past, cancer patients have had to travel to facilities outside the Shawnee area for simulation services before treatment can locally commence. Cancer patients are now able to access this technology in their own community through the Varian Ximatron C-Series universal radiation simulator.
The Linear Accelerator
The linear accelerator brings a new level of care to Unity Health Center cancer patients and provides a wide variety of options for cancer treatment.
The accelerator allows for the administration of radiation therapy that is very precise and tailors dosage to the size and location of tumors, minimizing damage to healthy cells and tissue.
The Clinic 2100C Accelerator features two widely separate x-ray energies with stable high dose rates, plus a full range of electron beams for a cost-effective, clinically versatile treatment system. The accelerator’s x-ray energies are 6 and 18 MV, while the electron beams range from 4 to 20 MeV. With this selection of beam combinations, the clinicians can individualize and improve delivery techniques.
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