Eagle Staff Writer

High winds forced the cancellation of a groundbreaking ceremony for the Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute — Butler, but construction of the state-of-the-art facility is under way at 160 Hollywood Drive in the Pullman Center Business Park.

The 34,000-square-foot, two-story facility scheduled to open early next year is part of $225 million investment by AHN and Highmark Health that includes an academic cancer center at Allegheny General Hospital and two other new community cancer treatment cents in Beaver and Monroeville.

“We’re going to provide radiation oncology, medical oncology, chemotherapy, biologic therapy and immunotherapy,” said Dr. David Parda, AHN Cancer Institute chairman.

New linear accelerators deliver radiation for treatment with “submillimeter” accuracy, he said.

“It delivers very precise and focused radiation. This is state-of-the-art radiation treatment,” Parda said.

Chemotherapy and biologic therapy are uses to attack microscopic cancer cells that enter the blood stream, he said.

Treatment advances have increased the five year survival rate to nearly 70 percent, but the number of cancer cases is expected to increase because people are living longer and because of lifestyle choices, he said.

About 1.6 million new cases are diagnosed annually now and that number is project to increase to 1.8 million over the next few years.

“We’re living longer. We’re not dying from heart disease and infections as much,” Parda said.

He said use of alcohol and tobacco and obesity add to the higher incidence rate.

About 80 percent of new cancer cases are diagnosed outside of Allegheny and Philadelphia counties making investment in community treatment centers essential, Parda said.

“At AHN, we understand that a cancer patient’s experience and outcome are both enhanced greatly by having access to high-quality, comprehensive clinical and support services under one roof and in a location that is the most convenient to them and their families,” Cynthia Hundorfean, AHN president and CEO said in a statement. “We are excited to bring this outstanding level of cancer care to our patients who live and work in Butler County.”

The institute, which will have a staff of about 20, also provides support services.

“There will be a lot of supporting services — nutrition, home care, financial counseling, palliative care, pain therapy, social services and other service to help patients with the full continuum of care to manage the care between the hospital, outpatient clinics, the community and home,” Parda said.

AHN expanded its partnership with Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center to increase access to Johns Hopkins’ cancer expertise and clinical trials. The partnership significantly increases the number of clinical trials available to local patients.