Vital Signs - October 2002

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada

Merger Provides Benefits for Patients

Southwest Cancer Clinic and Nevada Radiation Oncology Centers – which officially merged operations in May 2000 – have united under one new name, Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada. "We originally merged because we were driven by the knowledge that in order to conquer our common enemy – cancer – we must unite," said Dr. Raul Meoz, president of Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada.

With 10 full-time medical oncologists/hematologists and five full-time radiation oncologists practicing at five locations and all Southern Nevada area hospitals, Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada is the largest cancer treatment group in the state. Its treatment centers are located throughout the Las Vegas Valley, with four in Las Vegas and one in Henderson. Two of the group’s facilities are fully-integrated cancer centers with both medical oncology/hematology and radiation oncology services. These state-of-the-art facilities offer a comfortable setting for patients where a complete range of services is offered in one location. These facilities allow for the detection, diagnosis, treatment, support and follow-up care of cancer patients and their families.

"This type of approach makes a big difference to our patients and their families," Meoz said. "Going through cancer treatment is such an emotional process and our fully-integrated facilities allow for patients to be in the same comfortable setting for all services. It makes a big difference."

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada is the only practice in the Las Vegas Valley offering a stem cell transplantation program for adult patients. It also operates the only American College of Radiology-accredited radiation centers in Nevada.

"It’s always challenging when you’re combining two groups, because you never know how the various personalities are going to fit," Meoz said. "But we’ve been very fortunate. The group we’ve formed works exceptionally well together as a team and that only benefits our patients." The same doctors from Southwest Cancer Clinic and Nevada Radiation Oncology Centers have stayed affiliated with the group throughout the merger, meaning the two groups’ 25-plus years of combined service in Southern Nevada has remained intact. According to Meoz, that has been the key to success for the new organization.

"We believe a successful doctor/patient relationship begins with competence on the part of the physician and confidence on the part of the patient," he said. "Learning to understand each other only serves to strengthen the relationship, sealing the mutual and essential bond of trust."