UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute and Highlands Oncology Group Announce Collabortation

A new collaboration between the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and Highlands Oncology Group will advance research in Arkansas and give greater access to care.

A new collaboration between the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and Highlands Oncology Group will advance research in Arkansas and give greater access to care.

The collaboration will allow the Cancer Institute, located in Little Rock, and Highlands, located in Fayetteville and Rogers, to work together in providing the highest-quality care for Arkansas patients and families living with cancer while remaining close to home.

"Highlands is committed to improving cancer care in Arkansas, and the best way is through a partnership with the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute" said Thad Beck, M.D., medical director of Highlands' research program. "We are proud to unite efforts with an organization equally committed to their own mission to end cancer."

"Virtually all of the successful cancer treatments we have today are the result of clinical trials," said Laura Hutchins, M.D., director of clinical research at the Cancer Institute and a professor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology in the UAMS College of Medicine. "Working together with Highlands to enroll patients in trials not only has the potential to benefit these individuals, it also can have a dramatic impact on the future of cancer treatment."

Patients at Highlands will now have a more expedited process for enrolling in research clinical trials offered concurrently through Highlands and the Cancer Institute, giving them access to new and innovative treatment options unavailable at other cancer centers. Clinical trials are an important area of research in which patients work with doctors to find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. The Cancer Institute offers about 200 clinical trials to patients who qualify for participation.

"This affiliation is vitally important for the future of cancer research and treatment in Arkansas. By working together to improve the health of Arkansans, our programs can continue to develop and expand for many years to come," said Peter Emanuel, M.D., director of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute and a professor in the UAMS College of Medicine.

Patients at Highlands also will benefit from the use of telemedicine, in which their physicians consult in real-time with their counterparts at UAMS via video conferencing. This use of technology will give patients in northwest Arkansas the expertise of UAMS specialists without requiring them to travel to Little Rock.

Highlands Oncology Group is a state-of-the-art facility with a world-class team of specialists that is committed to providing premier cancer treatment and to enhancing the quality of life of patients and their loved one in a friendly, comfortable environment right here in Northwest Arkansas. Highlands offers the latest technology of diagnostic imaging and radiation therapies, on-site labs, a pharmacy and an infusion center. They also offer access to clinical trials, multidisciplinary clinics and support groups. Highlands Oncology Group is helping patients win the battle against cancer every day. For more information, visit www.HighlandsOncologyGroup.com.

UAMS is the state's only comprehensive academic health center, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a statewide network of regional centers; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, the Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, the Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy, the Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, the Psychiatric Research Institute, the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging and the Translational Research Institute. Named best Little Rock metropolitan area hospital by U.S. News & World Report, it is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has more than 2,865 students and 785 medical residents. It is the state's largest public employer with more than 10,000 employees, including about 1,000 physicians and other professionals who provide care to patients at UAMS, Arkansas Children's Hospital, the VA Medical Center and UAMS regional centers throughout the state. Visit www.uams.edu or www.uamshealth.com.