Cancer Center

Recognizing the need for quality cancer care here at home, our voters identified cancer care as a priority for the Measure C proceeds.

The Tahoe Forest Cancer Center first opened its doors in 2006. Since then, our program’s success has led to nearly twice as many patients in our care than we originally anticipated. There are over 2,100 cancer patients in our service area today and the forecast is for an additional 300 diagnoses each year. We expect to grow from caring for over 900 patients in 2010 to over 1,600 by 2018.

With guidance from our Cancer Advisory Council, a group of volunteers who have advised on the programs and services of our Cancer Center, our plan called for a new, state-of-the-art Cancer Center. The approximately 34,000-square-foot, two-story building includes:

  • Patient intake and reception, registration, family waiting, resource library, appearance center and volunteer work spaces
  • Medical Oncology with eight infusion stations and nurse station
  • Radiation Oncology including a linear accelerator vault, PET /CT diagnostics, physics lab and appropriate patient and staff support areas
  • Oncology Clinic area including six exam rooms, nurse station, physician offices and tumor board/conference room with patient and staff support spaces

Proposed uses for the second floor include future expansion of Cancer Center services, related administrative office space, central utility and public toilet spaces and a conference room, which is planned to serve existing hospital needs and to replicate lost campus conference space that will be decommissioned as part of other Measure C projects. There is also attic space above the second floor that will be used for mechanical equipment to serve both floors.

The Tahoe Forest Cancer Center is an affiliate of the U.C. Davis Cancer Care Network, an organization that unites five hospital-based cancer centers dedicated to providing high-quality care in community settings.

Some of the many benefits of this partnership include:

  • Participation in UC Davis “Virtual Tumor Boards” via video conferencing, allowing a team of medical experts from around the state to develop the best plan of care for patients;
  • Access to clinical trials programs;
  • Expertise in setting up quality assurance and regulatory systems;
  • Education and training for staff and physicians.

To learn more about the Tahoe Forest Cancer Center visit www.tahoecancercenter.com

The new Gene Upshaw Memorial Tahoe Forest Cancer Center opened in July of 2012.