2003 Oncology Program Annual Report

2002 was a very busy year in the Willmar Cancer Center's Radiation Oncology Unit at Rice Memorial Hospital. More than nine thousand (9,000) radiation therapy procedures were performed during the year, an increase of nearly fifty percent (50%) over the previous year. Patients from twenty (20) Minnesota counties were treated during the year. Approximately sixty-one percent (61%) of the patients came from Rice Hospital's primary service area of Kandiyohi, Chippewa, Renville and Swift counties, with the remaining thirty-nine percent (39%) coming primarily from the Hospital's secondary service area of Big Stone, Lac Qui Parle, Lyon, Meeker, Redwood, southern Stearns and Yellow Medicine counties.

It was also a busy year for service improvement. Under the leadership of Radiation Oncologist John Ling, M.D., three-dimensional treatment planning and prostate seed implant programs were successfully implemented during the year. Work continues on the development of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), hopefully in early 2004. As part of this development, a full-time medical physicist was hired and came on board in June. This replaces the medical physics contract with Minneapolis Radiation Oncology, which provided half-time medical physics coverage. The additional physics support is a critical element in the development of IMRT within the Willmar Cancer Center. A new cancer registry software system is also being planned for implementation later this year. These service improvements allow us to continue to offer state-of-the-art cancer treatments which are reasonably close to home for patients in the region.

Again this year, I would like to thank all of the volunteers who provide countless hours staffing the Cancer Center and providing support for our cancer patients and their family members. We are very fortunate to have a strong volunteer program, which allows us to offer just a little bit extra, in terms of patient contact and support.

The Willmar Cancer Center is continuing to work toward improved access to quality cancer related services as close to home as possible. We appreciate the opportunity to serve area residents needing cancer care in keeping with the Rice values of respect, integrity, compassion and excellence.

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