UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at Villa Maria Receives Accreditation from Region of Campania
By: Courtney Caprara and Simona Abbro
Thousands of citizens in southern Italy now have access to advanced radiation oncology procedures at the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at Villa Maria, thanks to a recent accreditation from the regional government.
The Region of Campania has granted institutional accreditation to the newest UPMC Hillman location in Italy, the second in that country, allowing the center to provide cutting-edge radiotherapy services for publicly insured patients as part of the Regional Health System.
“This accreditation eliminates the need for the people of Campania to travel to northern or central Italy for advanced cancer care, which was not previously available in this area,” said Dr. Bruno Gridelli, executive vice president and managing director of UPMC and UPMC Italy. “With over 18,000 new oncology cases in the region each year, this center will help to reduce the waiting list for these incredibly valuable services and give patients access to world-class care close to home, part of UPMC’s guiding philosophy.”
Equipped with Varian TrueBeam™ STx technology, the center offers state-of-the-art stereotactic radiotherapy treatments for tumors in hard-to-reach areas. This type of therapy is completed with a higher dose of radiation compared to traditional procedures, precisely targeting tumors while sparing healthy tissue and minimizing side effects for patients.
The center also provides intensity-modulated radiation therapy and image-guided radiation therapy, in addition to allowing direct, daily exchanges via telemedicine with UPMC cancer experts in Pittsburgh and the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at San Pietro FBF in Rome.
The UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at Villa Maria will also collaborate with two hospitals in Benevento, Italy, and with the Policlinico Universitario Federico II in Naples to ensure the best possible care for those patients.
UPMC has been operating in Italy for more than 20 years, starting with the creation and management of ISMETT, a transplant and high-specialty hospital in Palermo, Sicily, that was formed in partnership with the regional government. The two Italian cancer centers join more than 60 others that are part of the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center network, one of the largest integrated cancer networks in the United States and one of only 49 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers.
