The Easton Regional Cancer Center has a long-standing history of providing the very best cancer care to the citizens of the Lehigh Valley and its surrounding communities. From the time of its foundation, the Cancer Center has strived to provide our community with the most advanced information and treatment options. By joining with the nationally renowned Fox Chase Cancer Center of Philadelphia, the Easton Regional Cancer Center continues to provide access to the most advanced cancer treatments available. It is our mission to deliver excellent, compassionate care to our community.
The Easton Regional Cancer Center is accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, a certification that is only achieved by one in every four hospitals that treat cancer. Maintaining this certification is one way our multidisciplinary staff demonstrates their commitment to offering high-quality care to our patients.
The oncology diagnostic and treatment services we provide include
• Medical Oncology
• Surgical Oncology
• Radiation Therapy
Our 2010 Annual Cancer Report, which gives an overview of Cancer cases from 2009 is available by clicking here.
Fox Chase Partnership
Fox Chase Cancer Center Partners is a select group of community-based hospitals in Pennsylvania and New Jersey whose cancer programs are affiliated with Fox Chase Cancer Center of Philadelphia. The Partners program allows timely translation of cancer research findings to ensure patients have access to the latest advance cancer care, treatment and research. All hospitals chosen by Fox Chase as Partners demonstrate outstanding cancer-care standards and have an infrastructure in place to support clinical trials. Easton Hospital is proud to be a Fox Chase Cancer Center Partner.
Monthly Cancer Report: Click here to sign up to receive a monthly email detailing the latest oncology advances and treatment methods from Fox Chase Cancer Center and Easton Hospital.
What to expect as an oncology patient
Our staff includes Board Certified medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgeons, oncology certified nurses, a research nurse and other health professionals. The team meets weekly at our multidisciplinary tumor board to develop personalized, innovative treatment plans that fit the needs of specific patients.
The Easton Hospital oncology team believes that you shouldn’t have to sacrifice quality care to remain close to home. For patients who require hospitalization, we offer a 27-bed dedicated oncology inpatient unit. Patients are cared for by nurses who specialize in oncology. These dedicated nurses also staff an outpatient infusion center, which operates seven days a week.
The Easton Regional Cancer Center participates in a number of investigational treatment protocols (Clinical Trials) available through the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, the Clinical Trials Support Unit and the in-house studies at Fox Chase Cancer Center.
Our team of inpatient oncology professionals will work closely with you, your family and your physician to provide you with the highest level of care. Because we specialize in cancer and its treatment, we understand the specific educational, emotional and medical needs a cancer diagnosis brings.
Our staff is composed of community members who have dedicated themselves both privately and professionally to the science of cancer medicine and to the health of the community. While our main focus is on the care of our patients you will also see us amongst the community at educational programs and community screenings.
Radiation Oncology
In our radiation oncology area, the team is composed of Board Certified radiation oncologists (physicians), a physicist, radiation therapists, a dosimetrist (a person trained in determining the proper amount of radiation and monitoring its effects) and support staff—all with many years of experience. In this setting, patients can expect to receive not only individually tailored, highly advanced technological treatment plans but also the symptom management and emotional support these treatments require.
In order to meet the diverse treatment needs of the community, Easton Hospital is equipped with a variety of radiation equipment including
• a Varian Linear Accelerator;
• a Nucletron CT Simulator;
• a Phillps Pinnacle 3D treatment planning system
• and our newest addition, TomoTherapy™.
About TomoTherapy™
We are the third healthcare facility in the state of Pennsylvania to offer TomoTherapy, IMRT/IGRT technology for the treatment of many different types of cancer. The TomoTherapy system combines an advanced form of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), the accuracy of CT scanning technology and advanced tools for planning and delivering radiation therapy in one machine.
With TomoTherapy, the Radiation Therapy Team at Easton Regional Cancer Center can:
• Sculpt small, powerful and precise radiation beams to hit hard to reach tumors
• Target tumors using built in CT scanning to confirm the shape and position of the tumor seconds before your treatment begins
• Reduce radiation exposure to healthy surrounding tissue, often dramatically.
If you have reached your maximum tolerance dose of traditional radiation, TomoTherapy may open new doors to advanced radiation therapy treatments.
The Radiation Oncology Department is located inside the main hospital at the convenient 20th street entrance. For further information about Radiation Oncology call 610-250-4860.
Charles A. Waltman Tumor Registry
A cancer/tumor registry is an information system which collects, manages and analyzes information on persons with the diagnosis of cancer. Easton Hospital was one of the first hospitals in the nation to establish a comprehensive cancer registry in order to ensure patients the best possible care. The year was 1946.
The type of information collected and analyzed includes demographics, medical history, diagnostic findings and information about specific cancers. The registry also tracks the types and frequency of treatments or interventions that each patient receives and follows cancer survivors for the rest of their lives.
By collecting and analyzing this data in cooperation with state and national public health officials, we monitor cancer incidences in our community and identify areas where interventions such as educational programs or screenings are needed.
At the community level, we use the registry data to assure that the care offered by the Hospital not only meets the needs of the community, but also meets or exceeds the national standards set by the various accrediting agencies for quality care.
Clinical Research 
One of the ways the Easton Regional Cancer Center stays up to date with the growing science of cancer treatment is by participating in clinical trials. Clinical trials are studies that look at how treatments work in large populations of similar people. Through our partnership with Fox Chase Cancer Center our patients and their treating physicians have access to a number of clinical trials available. Often these trials involve new medications or treatment protocols.
Through their voluntary participation, our patients have helped prove that certain drug regimens are more effective and/or better tolerated than others in preventing cancer recurrence. If you are interested in participating in a clinical trial, we encourage you to talk to your physician about the options.
Community Resources
Although you may not know it, there are dozens of local programs to help you and your family cope with cancer and manage all the aspects of this complicated disease. From assistance with complicated medical decisions to applying make-up during chemotherapy, you do not need to feel isolated during the first difficult days and weeks after a cancer diagnosis.
Easton Hospital Home Health & Hospice
For 20 years our Registered Nurses, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Home Health Aides have been providing skilled treatment and rehabilitation services in the comfort and privacy of our patients’ homes.
Easton Hospital Home Health & Hospice
American Cancer Society
In addition to exhaustive information on all types of cancers, the ACS website provides a message board where you can join ongoing discussion groups with patients, families and advocates. Links to extensive local resources and programs are available through the Lehigh Valley page.
ACS, Lehigh Valley Chapter
National Cancer Institute
The website of this national organization provides a wealth of cancer-related information for patients and for the general public. It is particularly valuable for finding out about current research and clinical trials.
National Cancer Institute
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