Thompson Cancer Survival Center partners with renowned Houston facility

Thompson Cancer Survival Center partners with renowned Houston facility

February 28, 2007

By LORI TUCKER
6 News Anchor/Reporter

KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- Thompson Cancer Survival Center announced Wednesday it's partnering with world-renowned M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. That means cancer patients in East Tennessee will have immediate access to the best care available.

The new partnership means patients coming to Thompson for treatment of rare and aggressive cancers will have their diagnoses reviewed by the world-renowned doctors at M. D. Anderson. That can be done on the Internet, by phone or video conferences.

"The patients are still going to be primarily treated here by the doctors on the medical staff here but we hope that some of the expertise we have at Anderson is going to enhance those efforts and improve the outcome in this area," said Dr. David Tubergen with M. D. Anderson.

"Those thousand clinicians in Houston will be just like they're right here working with all of our clinicians," said Covenant Health CEO Tony Spezia. 

Dr. David Tubergen "We had to go through an extensive evaluation process of current practices and policies and make sure they met our standards," Dr. David Tubergen, with Covenant oncology, explained. 

"Not everyone was qualified that they have reviewed. We're proud of what we've done and continue to do," said Covenant's Director of Oncology Services, Dr. Rick Grapski. 

It's an exclusive arrangement in East Tennessee and one that Thompson Cancer Survival Center says is its boldest step yet in advancing cancer care for patients.

Besides Thompson, Fort Sanders Regional, Parkwest and Methodist Medical Center will also take part in the program. Breakthrough treatment and clinical trials will also be a focus.

M. D. Anderson is consistently ranked by U.S. News and World Report among the nation's top two cancer treatment centers.

One cancer patient at Wednesday's announcement is a familiar face in the state Legislature.

Rep. Parkey Strader (R-Knoxville) is battling a rare form of bile duct cancer that has spread to his liver. He's getting treatment at M. D. Anderson Thompson and says he's doing well.

"I feel good about it. I feel good. I get tired a little bit but the last day in Houston, the doctor said 'Well, you didn't lose your hair. You didn't lose weight. You gained weight and your blood work's better than mine.' So I feel real fortunate," Strader said.

He underwent breakthrough proton radiation, delivered just to the cancer. It didn't affect normal tissue. 

Strader goes back to M. D. Anderson in March to find out how his treatment is working.