University of Colorado Cancer Center
If you are deciding on a place to go for treatment of asbestos-related cancer, it is important to opt for a highly regarded clinic where the newest treatments are offered. One of the difficulties that face mesothelioma patients is that although the disease can frequently take many years to manifest, once it does appear and has been correctly diagnosed, it is usually at an advanced stage. As a result, family physicians and smaller, community hospitals might not possess the expertise and background needed to provide the most effective care for patients with this relatively rare disease. It is also important to choose a clinic staffed by caring people who will explain the treatment options and with whom you are comfortable. Some parts of the country do not have state-of-the-art clinics for rare disorders such as pericardial mesothelioma, in which case you might have to travel some distance so as to obtain the type of medical treatment you want.
The Division of Medical Oncology is staffed by 36 full-time faculty members with advanced degrees in medical and life sciences, working through the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Veterans Administration Center, and Denver Health Medical Center. This faculty is supported by a group of clinician and basic science faculty, research laboratory technicians, and clinical and research trainees.
The National Institute of Health's Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) funds lung cancer clinical research at UCHSC; this clinical research is further supported by cooperative groups as well as pharmaceutical companies and investigator initiated studies.
Medical Oncology Division members play a significant role in genetics and research into basic molecular biology of melanoma. Other new developments include fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), the establishment of a new DNA Sequencing Core and extensive utilization of the Tumor Immunology Core. Seminars in development therapeutics are also held on a weekly basis.
Operating under the auspices of the University of Colorado Cancer Center (UCCC), the Division of Medical Oncology benefits from the university's reputation. U.S. News & World Report ranks the institution 35th in the nation in terms of overall quality of care, and has been designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as a Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC). Several University of Colorado Cancer Center physicians have been ranked among the Denver area's leading physicians by the local publication 5820.
Five-year survival rates for UCCC patients are higher than those for the state of Colorado at large; the center's early detection, screening, and prevention program is among the largest in the country. The Division of Medical Oncology plans to form a regional oncology consortium while expanding programs in developmental therapeutics and hematologic malignancies.
Contact Information
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
12801 E. 17th Avenue
Aurora, CO 80010
Sources
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
Division of Medical Oncology
http://www.uchsc.edu/.../index.htm