At Robinson Memorial Hospital and hospitals around the country, cancer treatment has advanced markedly in the last 10 to 15 years. Physicians at Robinson Memorial Hospital utilize chemotherapy, biological agents, radiation therapy, surgery and hormones to help patients fight cancer. Patients are also considered for clinical trials and experimental treatments that can supplement their care.

Robinson Memorial patients have the advantage of a full-range of imaging equipment to help physicians spot cancer early. The hospital's pathology group also tests all biopsies in-house and gets results back quickly.

Robinson provides both inpatient and outpatient cancer care. We have 21 beds dedicated to serving the medical needs of acute care oncology patients. We also have beds specifically for the care of hospice patients needing either short term care or terminal care. Radiation therapy is provided on site at the Robinson Radiation Oncology Center operated by Akron General Medical Center.

Convenient Care
Our Convenient Care area, located on the second floor of the hospital, provides specific treatments, procedures and care for adult patients by physician order. These services include chemotherapy, blood transfusions, antibiotic therapy, bone marrow aspirations and numerous other interventions. For more information on Robinson Convenient Care Services, please call (330) 297-2899.

Radiation Oncology - Linear Accelerator
The latest advancement in radiation therapy at Robinson Memorial Hospital is a new, state-of-the-art linear accelerator. A joint venture between Robinson Memorial Hospital and Akron General Medical Center has allowed this service and expertise to be provided in Portage County.

This equipment allows the use of external radiation beams of three varying energy levels with the most advanced digital electronics. When indicated, patients can be treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) at Robinson Memorial when needed. This means patients no longer have to drive to Akron or Cleveland for this advanced treatment.

Robinson Memorial Hospital radiation therapy patients may need to go to Akron for initial treatment planning.

IMRT allows a higher dose of radiation to be delivered with great precision, which results in fewer side effects and less damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

This is the latest in the hospital's continued cancer care partnership with Akron General Medical Center that began in 1997. The partnership involves sharing medical specialists in the field as well as state-of-the-art technology and facility space.

The combined technique is a more effective approach to many cancers in that it gives patients the benefit of each form of treatment in fighting the disease and results in greater reduction in cancer recurrence as well as improved outcomes.

Making these combined therapies possible is the close connection and shared technology of cancer care specialists on staff at Robinson Memorial Hospital and Akron General Medical Center. For more information, please call the Robinson Radiation Oncology Center at (330) 296-5019.

Advanced Treatments and Procedures
Robinson's oncologists utilize the Physician Data Query system to ensure that local patients receive the latest treatments and procedures available in the country. Our doctors closely monitor patients to assess whether they could be candidates for a number of clinical trials or test groups. If a patient's medical condition meets the criteria for a trial taking place anywhere in the United States, the patient may be able to test a new procedure, drug or other treatment that is not yet available for wide use. Our physicians and nurses work closely with patients to help determine whether a trial is appropriate.

Team of Specialists
At Robinson Memorial Hospital, you can rely on a variety of specialists dedicated to your care, including medical and radiation oncologists, surgeons, pathologists and radiologists. That team includes a core group of medical professionals dedicated solely to cancer treatment and research. All of Robinson Memorial Hospital's oncology nurses receive special education and training to care for cancer patients and their families. Many have gone the extra mile to earn national certification for oncology nursing. An oncology clinical nurse specialist works closely with staff and patients to provide comprehensive cancer care, education and follow-up. Robinson Memorial Hospital's team also includes a cancer committee whose mission is to ensure that Portage County's cancer patients receive high quality care. Through the committee, Robinson has affiliations with several national organizations, such as the American College of Surgeons, American Cancer Society and the National Tumor Registry, to improve cancer education, diagnosis and treatment outcomes and to provide continuing education for our staff. Robinson Memorial Hospital staff represents a number of regional organizations and programs, including the Northern Ohio Cancer Resource Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and the Quality Assurance Committee of the Cuyahoga County Health Care Council.