New Provider Resources for Improving Gastric Cancer Patient Care

ROCKVILLE, Md. – The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) is pleased to announce invaluable new provider resources for delivering high-quality care to gastric cancer patients. Although gastric cancer has become less common in the U.S. over the past 60 years due to improvements in diagnosis and dietary changes, nearly 21,600 cases are diagnosed each year, and it is estimated that 11,000 Americans will die from the disease in 2014.

Representing nearly 20,000 cancer care professionals nationwide, ACCC understands that treating patients with a less common cancer, such as gastric cancer, can present unique challenges for providers who may have limited time and resources to incorporate emerging clinical data into practice.

In 2010, ACCC launched its Community Resource Centers project to provide a wide-ranging spectrum of provider resources focused on less common cancers, ensuring that providers have immediate access to the best possible resources to treat these types of cancers aggressively and effectively. Also referred to as “forgotten” cancers, these diseases are defined as those having fewer than 40,000 patient cases annually in the U.S.

ACCC’s new Community Resource Centers for gastric cancer were selected based on their expertise and experience in treating this disease and their commitment to providing innovative, patient-centered care. They are:

• Curtis & Elizabeth Anderson Cancer Institute at Memorial University Medical Center, Savannah, GA
• Massachusetts General Hospital Yawkey Cancer Center, Tucker Gosnell Center for Gastrointestinal Oncology, Boston, MA
• Stanford Cancer Center, Stanford, CA
• University of Colorado Hospital, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, CO

"ACCC’s Community Resource Centers for gastric cancer are an invaluable peer-to-peer resource available to the entire cancer care team," said Becky DeKay, MBA, ACCC President. "Community-based cancer programs from around the country can directly access a rich source of highly skilled guidance and support when treating their patients with gastric cancer. Another tremendous advantage of this provider resource tool is that it enables patients to continue to receive high-quality care closer to home."