Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
The Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (also known as SCCA) has created a reputation for itself as one of the top treatment centers in the United States relatively quickly.
It opened in 1998 as a joint facility between the University of Washington Medical Center, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and the Seattle Children’s Hospital. Regularly turning cutting-edge discoveries into forward-thinking treatments, the Seattle Cancer Care Center has been paving the way for future cancer care.
The cancer center is known by institutions all over the United States and the rest of the world for its innovative approach to research; since 1998, it has discovered many novel therapies and treatments that have drawn much attention in the cancer treatment community. The U.S. News and World Report has ranked the University of Washington Medical Center/SCCA on its list of the country’s Top Ten Hospitals for Cancer Care. The network spans over seven facilities throughout the state of Washington as well as four in the states of Hawaii, Montana, Idaho, and Alaska.
There are also countless community-based doctors in the area that are affiliated directly with the treatment center. The center has access to huge amounts of grant funding and novel technologies; they also execute a large number of clinical trials throughout the northwestern United States.
Mesothelioma at Seattle Cancer Alliance
Treating and finding a cure for mesothelioma, the deadly cancer caused by exposure to toxic asbestos fibers, is at the forefront of priorities at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. The mesothelioma team includes highly-qualified thoracic surgeons, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists who have been studying/interacting with the disease for years. Together, they provide patients with integrative, effective treatment plans.
Diagnostics and treatments for mesothelioma and other asbestos-based ailments are executed at the General Oncology Clinic at the SCCA. Nearby, the UW Medical Center is responsive for follow-up appointments as well as aggressive surgical procedures. A phase II trial is currently underway that examines the efficacy of MEDI4736 (durvalumab), an immunotherapy drug, alongside with the administration of chemotherapy.
This is an attempt at designing the first-line therapy for patients with unresectable mesothelioma. An effective immunotherapy agents, durvalumab is used in order to help the body attack cancer on its own, rather than explicitly utilizing toxic chemicals to attack tumors. Specifically, the compound is a monoclonal antibody.
Dr. Goulart is the chief facilitator in the trial that has been projected to continue through the year 2020. The surgeons, Dr. Mulligan and Dr. Farjah, are responsible for the surgical aspects, which involve pleurectomies/decorticationions and extrapleural pneumonectomies.
Core Values
The Seattle Cancer Care Alliance is aware that it is one of the country’s most valuable cancer treatment facilities. It believe that its position in the cancer treatment community can be attributed to the following achievements: innovative approaches to cancer care, personalized approaches to cancer care, respect for the patients in the cancer center, collaboration between different fields of expertise, agility and efficiency of treatment and research, and rock-solid responsibility with institutional leadership and coordination.
After patients have complete their treatments with the SCCA, the institution stays in contact with them. The Survivorship Clinic, specially crafted for surviving cancer patients, is a source of encouragement, education, and remission treatment.