Niagara Falls, NY (WBEN) Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center today announced a collaborative effort to greatly improve the availability of cancer care in Niagara County. They announced their first step Friday, establishing a comprehensive thoracic clinical program.
They say the jointly operated Thoracic Center at Memorial gives Niagara County residents convenient access to a wide range of specialized services, from lung cancer screening and early detection through to state-of-the-art cancer treatment and survivorship support, a first for the Niagara County area.
Cases of lung cancer in Niagara County have risen about 36% over the last 40 years, and today the county’s rate of incidence is one of the highest across the state. And the New York State Health Department lists lung cancer as the leading cause of death for women in Niagara County and the second leading cause of death for men.
“Given the environmental factors inherent in Niagara County – its large number of chemical plants and its history of former smokestack industries, not to mention the presence of Love Canal and six other EPA Superfund sites – the presence of cancer casts a pall over those who live and work here,” Ruffolo said. “Partnering with Roswell to launch lung cancer screening in conjunction with this new thoracic program undoubtedly will save lives.”