Men in York Region and Simcoe County will soon be able find out if they have prostate cancer closer to home, and receive tailored care in their community if they get a positive diagnosis, thanks to a new enhanced service coming to Southlake Health.
Beginning in January, patients will be able to access the PET-CT machine at Southlake's Newmarket-based Regional Cancer Centre.
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Medical staff will use the machine to offer Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen Positron Emission Tomography (PSMA PET). The machine was purchased thanks to donations to the Southlake Foundation's HERE is Where Cancer Meets its Match fundraising campaign.
PSMA PET imaging supports earlier detection of prostate cancer and enables more personalized treatment plans for patients, the foundation said in a statement.
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Prostate cancer is one of the most diagnosed cancers among men in Ontario, with more than 9,000 new cases identified each year. While many cases are highly treatable when caught early, timely and precise imaging plays a critical role in achieving the best outcomes, the statement said.
Southlake has had the PET-CT machine for two years.
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In that time, more than 5,500 patients have been tested.
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If the machine wasn't at Southlake, they would have to travel to downtown Toronto.
Southlake's cancer centre and diagnostic imaging teams developed the PSMA PET program to expand PET-CT use to significantly enhance prostate cancer diagnosis and staging for patients in the communities Southlake serves, the foundation's statement said.
"PSMA PET is a game changer in how we detect and manage prostate cancer," said radiologist Dr. Philip Mok, the cancer centre's lead interpreting physician.
"It provides a level of precision that enables us to tailor treatment more effectively for each patient. This technology will be used at Southlake to benefit countless patients across our communities."
PSMA PET imaging is a significant step forward in prostate cancer care for Southlake patients, providing better medical outcomes, said Derrek McNally, Southlake's chief operating officer and regional vice-president of the cancer program.
The PET-CT scanner is just one of several advancements the fundraising campaign has brought to the cancer centre.
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So far, the foundation said donations to the campaign, which has raised more than $19 million, have been used to:
Upgrade three replacement Linear Accelerators (LINACs) for radiation therapy, including the addition of Canada's first Elekta Harmony LINAC, the newest model of radiation treatment machine.Add a fifth LINAC to meet the accelerated demand for care. These upgrades eliminated wait times for radiation therapy at Southlake.Replace an MRI machine with a state-of-the-art model. The new MRI, which will provide 8,000 scans a year, will produce faster, more high-quality images, as well as provide more comfortable patient experiences.
The new equipment has made a significant different, said Dr. Alisha Kassam, physician leader for the cancer centre.
"Our Cancer Centre is consistently ranked among the top three in Ontario, and our community of donors have played an important role in supporting that achievement," she said.
"Donor investment has enabled our team to lead in new and meaningful ways -- transforming the cancer care experience. From early detection and diagnosis to treatment and survivorship, we are ensuring timely access, clinical excellence and compassionate care at every stage."
The HERE is Where Cancer Meets its Match campaign is entering its final phase, with the foundation asking for additional donations to bring even more leading-edge advancements to the hospital.
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That includes Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), which supports molecular medicine for patients.
It supports laboratory technology that looks at the genes that make up a person's cancer and helps to define specific treatments that particular cancer may respond to best, the foundation's statement said.
Now, patients have to go to downtown Toronto hospitals and wait weeks for their results.
Having the testing at Southlake means patients will get their results significantly faster.
Southlake aims to get results back within seven days.
"When it comes to cancer diagnostics and treatment, especially advanced cancers, a matter of days or even hours can make a difference," said Dr. Nurfiza Ladak, a Southlake pathologist.
"Patients who live in our communities deserve the same level of care as if they lived in downtown Toronto."
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Meanwhile, donations to the fundraising campaign will bring more advanced, minimally invasive procedures to its thoracic surgery program.
Many of these procedures relate to thoracic surgical oncology, specifically treating patients with lung and esophageal cancers, the statement said.
"The thoracic surgery service at Southlake is rapidly expanding, and we have never been busier," said Dr. Nader Hanna, a leading thoracic surgeon recently recruited to Southlake.
"Timely staging investigations for patients with cancer are critically important to ensure the best possible outcomes. The addition of state-of-the-art equipment will ensure more patients get the testing they need, in a minimally invasive fashion, as quickly as possible."
Seeing the firsts the cancer centre is able to perform thanks to the campaign while ensuring patients get care close to home is "remarkable," said foundation president Jennifer Ritter.
To donate, visit southlake.ca/HERE, or call the foundation at 905-836-7333.
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