1/12/2015

COUDERSPORT, PA – Residents of the north-central Pennsylvania area known as the Twin Tiers now  have access to UPMC CancerCenter’s advanced clinical care and the latest research without going far from home under a new affiliation agreement effective today with the Patterson Cancer Center, located on the campus of Cole Memorial Hospital in Coudersport.

“The staff of the Patterson Cancer Center at Cole Memorial has a long history of providing evidenced-based cancer care for residents of north-central Pennsylvania,” said Cole Memorial’s President and Chief Executive Officer Ed Pitchford. “This new affiliation links Cole with UPMC, internationally renowned for its research and clinical care.  By doing so, we are deploying the same support programs and using the same research-based protocols afforded cancer patients at other UPMC CancerCenter locations, one of the best and largest cancer networks in the country.”

The local management, physicians and staff remain at Cole Memorial. However, they now have a formal, collaborative relationship with oncology colleagues at UPMC CancerCenter, a partner with the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in western Pennsylvania.

For almost 15 years, Cole Memorial’s cancer services team has provided high-quality care to patients in north-central Pennsylvania. By teaming up, the Patterson Cancer Center becomes the 43rd member of the UPMC CancerCenter global network which leads the way in the prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

“Patients who are undergoing cancer treatments shouldn’t have to travel far from home. Affiliations like the one with the Patterson Cancer Center at Cole Memorial ensure that patients have access to the best possible care while they stay in the communities where they live,” said Stanley Marks, M.D., chairman of UPMC CancerCenter.

The Patterson Cancer Center, in affiliation with UPMC CancerCenter, offers comprehensive cancer care that includes a variety of services, such as chemotherapy, biotherapy, immunotherapy, bone marrow biopsies, blood transfusions, IV therapy infusions, intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT). Support services for patients include free cancer screenings, support groups, the American Cancer Society’s Look Good, Feel Better program and health education resources.

For more information about the Patterson Cancer Center in affiliation with UPMC CancerCenter, call 814-260-5208 or visit the network’s website at www.upmccancercenter.com.