Author: Jasmine Brown
A $46 million project is launching to expand the Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Flint and the McLaren Proton Therapy Center. Once complete, the projects will allow more patients access to proton therapy, the most advanced radiation therapy available, and bring a more comprehensive approach to cancer care for Genesee County residents and beyond. The expansion is part of McLaren Flint’s continued commitment to grow comprehensive cancer care and ensure a multidisciplinary approach to individualize each cancer patient’s treatment.
“We are committed to serving the community by offering world-class cancer care right here in Genesee County,” said Chris Candela, president and CEO of McLaren Flint. “Being part of the Karmanos Cancer Network gives cancer patients improved access to new treatments close to home. This expansion allows us to provide more treatment options, grow our team of respected oncologists with trailblazing specialties, and provide care for more patients, saving them daily travel throughout the county or to Detroit for treatment.”
The project will include a 13,800-square-foot-vertical expansion of the cancer center, a 7,200-square-foot expansion of the proton therapy center, development of a third proton therapy vault with two patient treatment spaces, and parking lot and entry improvements. Groundbreaking is scheduled for the summer of 2022 with the first patient in the expanded cancer center expected in late 2023.
“We see the need for cancer care in the communities we serve and are committed to giving our oncologists and our patients the best tools available to fight this disease,” said Justin Klamerus, MD, MMM, president of Karmanos Cancer Hospital and Karmanos Cancer Network. “This expansion project with McLaren Flint enables residents of Genesee County to receive outstanding care from Karmanos in a convenient location, close to home. We are committed to serving patients where they have the greatest chance for successful treatment.”
The $46 million expansion adds an oncology experience that has not been delivered in Genesee County. Recently, the Singh & Arora Oncology/Hematology practice joined the Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Flint, further integrating medical oncology and hematology care at the cancer center. This brings all three cancer treatment modalities under one roof, including surgical oncology and radiation oncology (along with proton therapy), and gives patients more streamlined care.
Though all three modalities are housed at the cancer center, there are some Karmanos and McLaren oncology specialists who do not have space in the current cancer center. A patient treatment plan could require them to see a specialist in all three treatment modalities, which also include gynecologic oncologists, head and neck cancer specialists, surgical oncologists, and proton therapy specialists. With the expansion, there will now be more space for specialists to be housed in the same building, saving patients trips to multiple locations for treatment. Under this new plan for growth, multidisciplinary teams will have a more on-site collaborative approach to each patients’ treatment plan. This will enable the highest level of coordination of care for some of the most complex treatments.
In addition to expanding the cancer center, the McLaren Proton Therapy Center will begin the final phase of construction, which now includes a third vault with two patient treatment spaces. McLaren previously added a second room to meet the high demand for proton therapy. This final phase will allow the proton center to nearly double the capacity for treatment.
“We wanted to take our time and understand the demand for proton therapy in the area before we decided what the final phase would include,” said Hesham Gayar, MD, medical director of the McLaren Proton Therapy Center. “With growing interest and patients seeking treatment from all corners of the state, increasing our capacity will allow us to serve more patients and decrease the wait period to begin proton therapy treatments. We are proud to be able to give more people access to proton therapy right here in Flint.”
The McLaren Proton Therapy Center is one of only two in Michigan, offering advances in technology for the most precise tumor targeting available today. The McLaren Proton Therapy Center is one of the only centers in the world utilizing advanced synchrotron technology, which delivers the highest energies and the lowest risk of side effects from unnecessary radiation to the patient. The center’s advanced technology includes pencil-beam scanning and volumetric image-guided proton therapy, designed to treat tumors with extreme precision.
McLaren has retained Kramer Management Group as its owner’s representative. Barton Malow has been selected as the construction manager and Gresham Smith Partners is the architect for the project.
For more information on the cancer treatments available and the oncologists at Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Flint and the McLaren Proton Therapy Center, visit karmanos.org/flintcancer.