Doctors Affiliated with this Treatment Facility
01. History
History of the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute
The Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute is located on the Christiana Hospital Campus in Newark, Delaware, and is part of the Christiana Care Health System. The Christiana Care Health System is a modern, unified health system that is committed to improving the health of the community. The health system is made up of two main teaching hospitals and a variety of facilities located throughout northern Delaware and its surrounding areas. It has become one of the premier health care systems on the east coast.
The 200,000-square-foot Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute serves the majority of cancer patients in Delaware. It is a designated community cancer center by the National Cancer Institute and specializes in advanced medical, surgical, radiation and diagnostic services. The cancer research program at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center was selected to participate in the National Cancer Institute’s Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP). This allows the physicians and staff to utilize the most progressive cancer treatments. The facility collaborates with the University of Delaware to run the Center for Translational Research.
02. Mesothelioma Care
Mesothelioma Care at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute
The Thoracic, Esophageal and Lung Cancer Multidisciplinary Center at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center treats patients with mesothelioma cancer and their specialists combine their expertise to provide patients with comprehensive care across a variety of disciplines.
Specializations at the cancer center include minimally invasive surgery, such as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), and radiofrequency ablation of lung tumors (RALT). RALT is an advanced treatment that uses the latest image-guiding technology to help accurately place a needle into the pleural mesothelioma tumor and deliver heat directly to the tumor in order to destroy cancerous cells. Other surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are also commonly utilized treatments at the center. A team of specialists determine what methods of treatment are best suited for a patient depending on the stage of mesothelioma and other preexisting conditions.
Nurse navigators are available to help patients and families schedule appointments, answer questions and connect the patient to resources such as psychologists, financial assistance and other resources. The Graham Cancer Center also gives patients the opportunity to participate in clinical studies that help experts discover emerging treatment methods for lung cancer and mesothelioma. Their collaborative research includes organizations like the IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence and the University of Delaware’s Center for Translational Cancer Research. There, they are able to employ novel treatment methods with a team of oncologists from different cancer centers and areas of expertise.
03. Specializations
Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute Specializations
- Minimally-invasive cancer staging and treatment
- Radiofrequency ablation of lung tumors (RALT)
- Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)
04. Accreditations
Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute Accreditations
- Commission on Cancer (CoC) accreditation
