SAINTS MEDICAL CENTER’S CANCER PROGRAM GRANTED
“THREE-YEAR APPROVAL WITH COMMENDATION”

Advanced Certification Comes From Commission
on Cancer of American College of Surgeons

 LOWELL, Mass., March 9, 2009 – The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons has granted “Three-Year Approval with Commendation” to the Cancer Program at Saints Medical Center.

 Saints received the honor following an extensive on-site evaluation by a physician surveyor. During the visit, Saints demonstrated a “commendation level of compliance” for the full scope of its cancer program, including cancer committee leadership, cancer data management, clinical services, research, community outreach, and quality improvement.

 Established in 1922 by the American College of Surgeons, the CoC is a consortium of professional organizations committed to improving survival rates and quality of life for cancer patients. Its membership includes Fellows of the American College of Surgeons and 42 national organizations that reflect the full spectrum of cancer care.

 Gabriele Southgate, M.D., a medical oncologist at Saints and cancer liaison physician in Lowell, said, “We are grateful for this strong endorsement of high quality cancer care at Saints, which recognizes our commitment to provide specialized cancer services in a compassionate setting that is close to home for patients in our region. The endorsement also underscores our cutting-edge technology and highly trained medical staff who deliver consistently excellent patient outcomes.”

 Saints Cancer Center offers confidential, comprehensive diagnostic testing and therapy with a focus on patients and their families. The Center provides a full range of services, including prevention, early detection and treatment that includes access to clinical trials, counseling and patient/family education. The medical staff encompasses medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgeons, hematologists and medical geneticists.

 The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 1.4 million cases of cancer were diagnosed in 2008. There are currently more than 1,400 College of Surgeons-approved cancer programs in the US and Puerto Rico, representing close to 25 percent of all hospitals.

 This 25 percent of hospitals diagnose and/or treat 80 percent of new cancer patients each year. In addition, a national network of more than 1,600 volunteer cancer liaison physicians provide leadership and support for the CoC approvals program.