Cancer treatment in Auburn will become more convenient following construction of a new cancer center affiliated with Auburn Community Hospital.
Right now, residents in the Auburn area have to travel to Syracuse, Rochester or Buffalo for certain cancer treatments, which can be a day long trip, according to Auburn Hospital spokesman Matthew Chadderdon.
“If you’re getting radiation or chemotherapy treatments and you have to find a place to park and drive home and you’re not feeling well, it’s not a good situation," Chadderdon said.
Auburn hopes to make things easier for individuals with a new stand alone facility that will have state-of-the-art medical technology for cancer patients. Chadderdon said one of the biggest improvements, will be purchase of a PET-CT scanner, thanks to some federal funds.
"It’s a piece of technology that a lot of cancer doctors use that gives them a more accurate view of your body, and what’s happening, so they can make a better diagnosis to what they’re seeing relating to cancer and pre-cancerous conditions," Chadderdon said.
Chadderdon said the wait time for a PET scan right now is over a month.
"This is really going to help a lot of patients who will be able to come and get the scan done quicker and more conveniently and efficiently here,” Chadderdon said.
Construction has started on the $15 million structure that will be on the same street as the hospital. The project will allow the hospital to add radiation oncology services to those already available at the oncology and hematology center within its main building. The center will be operated by staff from Upstate University Hospital.
