Expansion Planned for Levine Cancer Institute

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolinas HealthCare System announced a system-wide expansion of Levine Cancer Institute, which will include a second outpatient center, renovations to the existing research and administration headquarters and related renovations to Carolinas Medical Center, according to a statement.

The seven-floor, 260,000-square-foot outpatient center will allow for further development of hematologic, thoracic and gastrointestinal oncology practices in the area. It will also allow hematologic oncology, infusion capacity, telemedicine and specialty pharmacy capabilities to grow. The expansion will include heightened research efforts around novel treatments and will make improvements to existing survivorship, palliative and rehabilitation programs to support patients and families during treatment.

“The need for comprehensive cancer care in this region continues to grow,” said Derek Raghavan, MD, president of Levine Cancer Institute, in a statement. “This expansion will help ensure that we can meet that need, through providing the very best care to patients regardless of where they live.” A portion of the funding will be used to create a 32-bed advanced clinical unit in Carolinas Medical Center. The center will be capable of treating all advanced cancer patients and will support the institute’s blood and marrow transplant unit, which has surpassed original expectations.

Levine Cancer Institute currently has 25 locations within the Carolinas HealthCare System. “It’s one thing to talk about expanding cancer care outside of metropolitan areas and into isolated communities, but it’s quite another to actually execute on such a vision with great success,” said Michael C. Tarwater, president and CEO of Carolinas HealthCare System, in a statement. “What has been developed at Levine Cancer Institute over a relatively short period of time is truly incredible. Under Dr. Raghavan’s leadership and with the dedication and commitment of hundreds of others, we are providing broader and deeper treatment options that focus on the whole patient across and entire region while changing the course of cancer care.”

Access to cancer treatment is crucial across the entire region, and providing care is one of the driving forces for the expansion at Levine Cancer Institute.