Dr. Nav Sharda, the medical director and founder of the Cancer Care Centers opened the first Cancer Care Center in May 2001 on East Harmon Avenue in Las Vegas. At the time, his facility was the first to offer integration in the form of a dedicated CT scanner, which was electronically linked to the treatment machines. “This was a huge step forward that significantly improved the cure rates of my patients, while reducing the side effects of cancer therapies,” said Sharda.
In July, Sharda plans to open the only fully integrated treatment and diagnostic facility for cancer patients in Nevada. Costing more than $6.5 million, the 15,000-square-foot building is under construction in the Las Vegas Technology Center at Smoke Ranch Road and Fire Mesa Street in the northwest part of the Las Vegas Valley. The new facility will provide patients with all aspects of cancer care – from diagnosis, to treatment, to rehabilitation – under one roof, under the supervision of one cancer specialist.
“Patients will no longer have the extraordinarily long delay between diagnosis and treatment, and surveillance after treatment will be performed by the same physicians who originally diagnosed and subsequently treated the patient,” Sharda explained. “This allows the utmost in personalization and customization of therapy, with results available almost immediately.”
Cancer outcome is directly related to early diagnosis and rapid initiation of correct therapy, and Sharda stressed patients should consult a doctor if they notice any of cancer’s danger signs. “It is extremely important that the first doctor involved in the care of the patient is on the forefront of the emerging cancer therapies and has the best diagnostic and therapeutic tools necessary at his fingertips,” he said.
Sharda has been involved in medical research for more than 20 years, and remains on the forefront of major advances in cancer research and treatments, including biological therapies, chemotherapies and imaging advances, many of which he is currently using or will be incorporating into the new center. His clinical specialties include stereotactic radiosurgery, prostate brachytherapy, High Dose Rate (HDR) interstitial implants, HDR intracavitary brachytherapy and biologic/immunologic therapies. His most recent interest is the evolving field of radioimmunotherapy.
Sharda is anticipating that in the near future, doctors will be able to dynamically track a tumor as it moves within the body during normal organ motion, with a technique called portal vision. This is a way to continuously look at the tumor through the entire duration of treatment, thus allowing an ultraprecise radiation gun to continually lock onto the tumor, wherever it may shift in the body.
“I am extremely excited at the potential here,” he said. “In one cancer center, I can directly supervise and design the immobilization aids, directly visualize the tumor with all imaging modalities and use these tests to design a treatment which is supremely accurate in separating out tumorous tissue from normal organs, and deliver an extremely effective treatment with almost no side effects.”
The Center’s diagnostic equipment will include Computerized Tomography scans (CT), Positron Emission Tomography scans (PET) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), along with other essential equipment, allowing the cancer specialists to have vital diagnostic test results for immediate review.
Newest technologies for treatment include a Varian Linear Accelerator, Millenium 120 Multi Leaf Collimator, Dynamic Arc Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy Computers, HDR brachytherapy unit and a dedicated special procedures operating room for radiation implants.
The Center will also house a cancer resources library and special wellness unit. Its wellness program will teach all aspects of nutrition, immune strengthening and overall health.