GCH & UK Markey Cancer Center
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy both can be very tiring. Driving long distances to and from treatment only makes matters worse. That's why Georgetown Community Hospital and UK HealthCare have teamed up to bring high-quality cancer care to Georgetown.
Georgetown Community Hospital is a member of the UK Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network. The affiliation will allow patients to stay close to home while receiving care. As a member of the network, the hospital will receive a variety of benefits, which will allow us to provide better care to our patients. These benefits include:
- Nurse training program
- Access to clinical trials
- Educational programs relating to cancer and public health
- Consulting services available
The hospital offers chemotherapy services, overseen by hematologist/oncologist Dr. Qaiser Niaz, who will coordinate and assist with the care of cancer patients.The chemotherapy infusion suite offers six private rooms, with a television and comfortable chairs for both patients and visitors. The suite is staffed by two full-time nurses who have a combined 30 years of chemotherapy infusion and oncology experience. The types of infusion available include chemotherapy, IV fluids, blood transfusions and support drugs such as Reclast®, Zometa® and IV antibiotics.
The Radiation Medicine Center at Georgetown is a 3,500 square-foot clinic featuring the most up-to-date equipment available and includes a linear accelerator, a simulator, a mold room, exam rooms and several offices. As many as 35 people per day can be treated at this facility, which is staffed by radiation medicine physicians, a radiation therapist, a hematology/oncology specialist and administrative assistants.
Radiation therapy uses beams of high-energy waves to treat diseased areas of the body. Originally, radiation was given in a single, large dose. This had the unfortunate effect of causing many complications. Now, the total dose of radiation is divided into smaller doses given over a set period of time. This is very important because it allows the normal tissues to repair the radiation damage in between treatments, while the cancerous cells are destroyed.
Current technology has reduced the chance of radiation “scatter” to healthy tissues. The aim of radiation therapy is to destroy the cancer cells’ ability to grow. Since healthy tissues are also affected by radiation therapy, adverse side effects may be seen with this type of treatment. To reduce these effects, radiation is now carefully targeted to shield normal tissue while irradiating cancer cells. The simulator and mold room play a role in focusing the treatment on a well-defined area.
Having a treatment facility so close to home not only saves time, but saves precious energy that could better be put to use in healing! The facility, located on campus of Georgetown Community Hospital, is headed up by Dr. Ronald McGarry, and Dr. Marcus Randall.
The University of Kentucky is a national leader in cancer medicine and by working together, Georgetown Community Hospital can provide the best possible care to cancer patients in Scott and surrounding counties.
For more information about the hospital's cancer services or to make an appointment, call 502-868-1221 or toll-free 1-877-868-1221.
Cancer Resources