Cancer Centers
The Medical Center at Bowling Green provides a comprehensive cancer program close to home, including an on-site radiation treatment center with advanced technology, as well as chemotherapy and surgical services. Health and wellness programs for the community are offered throughout the year, focusing on prevention, early detection, and treatment options.
The Medical Center also operates the Barren River Regional Cancer Center in Glasgow in partnership with TJ Samson Community Hospital. The Medical Center at Bowling Green and TJ Samson Community Hospital are affiliated with the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center, the state's first and only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, through the UK Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network.
UK Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network
As members of the UK Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network, The Medical Center Cancer Center and Barren River Regional Cancer Center are able to offer patients access to additional specialty and subspecialty physicians and care, including clinical trials and advanced technology, while allowing them to stay in our region for most treatments.
The UK Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network was created to provide high-quality cancer care closer to home for patients across the region, and to minimize the effects of cancer through prevention and education programs, exceptional clinical care, and access to research.
Accreditation
The Medical Center has maintained accreditation as a Comprehensive Community Cancer Program by the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons since 2004. Receiving care at a CoC-accredited cancer program ensures that a patient will have access to:
• Comprehensive care, including a range of state-of-the-art services and equipment
• A multispecialty, team approach to coordinate the best treatment options
• Information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatment options
• Access to cancer-related information, education, and support
• A cancer registry that collects data on type and stage of cancers and treatment results and offers lifelong patient follow up
• Ongoing monitoring and improvement of care
• Quality care close to home
Cancer Registry
The Cancer Registry at The Medical Center plays an active role in the cancer program by providing services and support for our Commission on Cancer (CoC) approved program. The Registry is staffed by three Certified Tumor Registrars and one HIM Tech III. They are responsible for casefinding and collecting data on all reportable cancers and benign tumors that are diagnosed and/or treated at The Medical Center. The Registry staff also serves on the Cancer Committee which is a multidisciplinary team that is responsible for assuring quality care and making improvements in care that is given to all cancer patients. The registrars coordinate the quarterly meetings of the Cancer Committee, keep appropriate documentation, and ensure that the Cancer Committee meets and/or exceeds all CoC Standards.
Tumor Conferences
Weekly Tumor Conferences are also coordinated through the Cancer Registry office. Recently diagnosed cancer cases are discussed with Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Surgery, Radiology, and Pathology, and other medical specialties. Tumor conferences are educational as well as offer advice on treatment or further diagnostic studies after determining stage of disease and reviewing treatment recommendations utilizing national treatment guidelines.
The registry has maintained a database since 1988. There are over 16,989 cases in the database. Demographics, documentation of diagnosis, stage of disease, and treatment on each patient is entered into the database. In 2017, 987 analytic cases were added to the registry. Annual follow-up is also performed on each living patient. All data obtained by the registry is submitted to the Kentucky Cancer Registry and annually to the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB). Data in the registry is available to medical and administrative staff to use for audits, special studies, and research. For more information regarding Cancer Registry or related data, call 270-745-1288 or 270-796-5104, 270-745-1492.