St. Charles Cancer Center to add third linear accelerator

St. Charles Cancer Center announced Friday it will add a third linear accelerato to fulfill “its commitment to provide the best treatment options to the community.”

The $3.2 million Elekta Versa HD Accelerator, which delivers high-energy x-rays to the region of the patient’s tumor, will allow the Cancer Center to treat a higher number of patients with intensity-modulated radiation therapy, as well as to treat specialized cases of brain cancers.

“The new machine gives us the ability to more accurately target tumor sites,” said Dr. Linyee Chang, the Cancer Center’s medical director. “It will allow us to deliver stereotactic radiotherapy and stereotactic radiosurgery with the high degree of precision we want.”

The Cancer Center, which opened its doors in August 2014, features a concrete vault that was constructed in anticipation of the purchase of a third linear accelerator.

Since the Cancer Center opened, it has seen a strong increase in patient volume. With just two linear accelerators online, treatments are being scheduled for as late as 8 p.m. some days.

“We grew faster than we thought,” said Tom Schumacher, director of cancer services. “We built the vault knowing we’d expand at some point in the future, and the future is now.”

The new accelerator is scheduled to be delivered in January, and should be installed, calibrated and operational about six months later, Schumacher said. In the meantime, St. Charles will begin work on architectural designs and obtaining permits.

“Right now, there are some patients who we are unable to treat. We have to refer them to another medical center,” Chang said. “We’re so pleased to be able to offer this kind of treatment closer to home.”

St. Charles Health System, Inc., headquartered in Bend, owns and operates St. Charles Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond. It also owns family care clinics in Bend, Madras, Prineville, Redmond and Sisters. St. Charles is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 3,800 caregivers. In addition, there are more than 350 active medical staff members and nearly 200 visiting medical staff members who partner with the health system to provide a wide range of care and service to our communities.