Lake/University Ireland Cancer Center

A National Reputation, a Local Experience

While access to the most advanced treatment is a priority for people who need cancer care, so is having the emotional support of family and friends nearby - in comfortable, familiar surroundings. Since 1997, patients and their families have found everything they need in one place: Lake/University Ireland Cancer Center.

Lake/University Ireland Cancer Center (L/UICC) brings together Lake Health, one of Northeast Ohio's most respected health care providers, with the Ireland Cancer Center of University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University.

This collaboration provides the people of Lake, Ashtabula, Geauga and eastern Cuyahoga counties with acess to the highest level of care possible. With the latest prevention and screening programs, diagnostic techniques, treatment technologies, and valuable support services, patients will receive state-of-the-art treatment and therapies found only in the best cancer programs across America.

A Commitment to Excellence

As a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center (NCI-CCC), the Ireland Cancer Center has earned the highest distinction awarded by the National Cancer Institute for outstanding cancer care and research. To achieve this designation, centers must meet stringent guidelines covering the depth and breadth of research, medical expertise in all cancer-related specialties, and commitment to community outreach and education. Only 38 centers across the nation have earned this honor.

This designation is highly beneficial to patients. Each designated care center, including the Ireland Cancer Center and its community centers, shares knowledge, expertise, and research. This allows for input from a network of national cancer experts - bringing the finest cancer care to every patient.

A Team Approach to Treatment

Lake/University Ireland Cancer Center offers patients a unique team approach to cancer care. Highly trained physicians and expert clinical professionals work together to create individualized treatment plans based on the type and stage of the patient's cancer. This multidisciplinary approach ensures that each patient receives the latest, most sophisticated treatments available.

Medical Oncology

Led by Joel Saltzman, MD, section head of Medical Oncology at University Hospitals in the Division of Hematology/Oncology and director for Medical Oncology at Lake/University Ireland Cancer Center; Maria Espinosa, MD; Willem van Heeckeren, MD, PhD; Mark Bergman, MD;  and  Steven Waggoner, MD,  Lake/University Ireland Cancer Center has the expertise to treat all types of cancer that affect the human body. In addition to cancer care, we treat a variety of hematology diseases and lymphomas. We also provide infusion therapy for rheumatoid arthritis and muscular dystrophy upon referral from your physician.  A spacious state-of-the-art chemotherapy administration unit is staffed by oncology nurses whose clinical experience is outweighed only by their compassion for providing care.

Another feature that distinguishes Lake/University Ireland Cancer Center from other cancer treatment facilities in Northeast Ohio is our in-house pharmacy staffed with our own pharmacist and pharmacy technician. In this clinical field where precision is a must, Lake/University Ireland Cancer Center offers the highest standard of care in utilizing our physician, pharmacist, and nursing staff to guide you during your course of treatment.

Radiation Oncology

Director Louis Novak, MD, FACRO, and associate Fredrick Barton, MD, provide the Lake/University Ireland Cancer Center's radiation oncology services including state-of-the-art image-guided Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy technology. Computerized planning provides a precise blueprint for treatment, and two linear accelerators are available to deliver radiation beams to the targeted area. This medical and tecnological expertise is supported by an outstanding staff of radiation therapists, nurses dosimetrists, physicists, dietitian, social worker and research associates. A direct referral to University Hospitals Case Medical Center is provided for services such as gamma knife, intracavitary radiation therapy, tomotherapy and cyberknife treatments.

Clinical Trials

As part of our comprehensive approach to cancer care, patients receiving treatment at Lake/University Ireland Cancer Center can participate in National Cancer Institute-sponsored clinical trials and research projects.

Researching new drugs and new drug regimens continues to provide potentially lifesaving benefits to many patients. Participation in the most recent clinical trials helps to advance cancer therapy overall while expanding the options for patients seeking alternative treatments.

Patient and Family Support

Lake/University Ireland Cancer Center employs a licensed social worker to address the needs and concerns of patients and families, including group and individual counseling sessions. Lake/University Ireland Cancer Center also employs a dietitian to assist patients with their nutritional needs.

Lake/University Ireland Cancer has a collaborative relationship with The Hospice of the Western Reserve , which provides easy access to palliative and hospice care.

We also work closely with the American Cancer Society to provide programs such as Look Good...Feel Better, which meets every other month on the third Monday at 1 pm; Man-to-Man, which meets on the fourth Thursday of every month at 6:30 pm; and a general support group that meets on the last Monday of every month at 7 pm. Lake/University Ireland Cancer Center has also opened a Cancer Resource Center in cooperation with the American Cancer Society for patients and caregivers to utilize for gathering educational and supportive information.

A massage therapist is available Tuesdays and Thursdays to provide stress relieving therapy to our patients at no cost. A music therapy group is open to anyone touched by cancer. The group meets on the third Thursday of every month at 6:30 pm.

Focus on Patient Comfort

Lake/University Ireland Cancer Center was designed to keep patients from feeling like "a number." Every aspect of the center is focused on physical and emotional comfort. The 23,000-square-foot facility provides a welcoming environment with all the comforts of home:

• Patients can relax in pleasant surroundings featuring panoramic windows and homelike furnishings.
• Specially designed areas allow patients to receive chemotherapy treatment either in open day-treatment areas or in private rooms.
• Counseling rooms provide patients and professionals with private areas for consultation.
• Commissioned artwork focused on positive themes adds to the nurturing atmosphere.

For more information on our state-of-the-art treatments, please call 440-205-5491.