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The basics:

• RWJBarnabas Health, Rutgers Cancer Institute open Melchiorre Cancer Center
• $225M Livingston facility expands outpatient cancer care in North Jersey
• Patients gain access to clinical trials through Rutgers Cancer Institute
• Center features advanced imaging, infusion, radiation services

RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute unveiled the Melchiorre Cancer Center in Livingston June 22. The new outpatient oncology facility expands access to advanced cancer care, clinical trials and specialized treatment options in North Jersey.

Located on the campus of Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, the five-story, 137,000-square-foot center represents a $225 million investment. It serves as the northern destination for oncology services within the RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute network.

Leaders, officials and key stakeholders gathered for the opening. The debut marks the latest milestone in RWJBarnabas Health’s broader $1.5 billion effort to expand cancer care across the state.

Meeting patients where they are

“The Melchiorre Cancer Center is the latest manifestation of where we will help realize RWJBarnabas Health’s promise as New Jersey’s largest academic health system,” said Mark Manigan, president and CEO of RWJBarnabas Health. “One of the most important things that we, as a health system, can do is to meet our patients where they are at the time they need us most.”

The center brings together under one roof:

• Medical oncology
• Radiation oncology
• Imaging, infusion therapy
• Laboratory services
• Pharmacy services
• Supportive care programs

Patients will also have access to clinical trials and other treatments through Rutgers Cancer Institute, New Jersey’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.

‘A beacon of hope’

“The Melchiorre Cancer Center will serve as a beacon of hope for countless patients that will walk through its doors,” said Dr. Steven Libutti, director of Rutgers Cancer Institute and senior vice president of oncology services for RWJBarnabas Health. “As the northern destination for our integrated oncology network, providing NCI-designated comprehensive cancer care, the Melchiorre Cancer Center is an integral part of our multidisciplinary care paradigm.”

“The Melchiorre Cancer Center represents a transformational investment in the health of our community,” said Rick Davis, CEO of CBMC.

The facility includes 52 exam rooms, 40 private infusion rooms, advanced imaging services, radiation oncology treatment areas as well as dedicated spaces for wellness and support programs. Among its clinical features is one of New Jersey’s few MRI-guided linear accelerators. The technology allows physicians to visualize tumors and adapt radiation treatment plans in real time.

Designing care

Advanced screening

NJBIZ toured the Melchiorre Cancer Center ahead of its opening. See the photos here.

NJBIZ toured the facility ahead of its opening. The center’s patient-centered design emphasizes natural light, streamlined care coordination and wellness programming. Amenities include a teaching kitchen, art therapy space, wig and prosthetics studio, and rooftop terrace.

“Patients and families dealing with cancer deserve access to comprehensive care in a setting designed specifically to support healing, comfort, and hope,” said Davis.

The center is named for philanthropists Andrea and Anthony Melchiorre. The couple’s $30 million donation helped support the project.

“Healthcare is such an important part of people’s lives, and we are incredibly proud to be pat of a project that will make such a meaningful difference,” Andrea and Anthony Melchiorre said in a joint statement. “This center will have a lasting impact on patients, families, and everyone whose life has been touched by cancer, providing hope, healing and access to exceptional care when it matters most.”

The state-of-the-art outpatient facility joins the Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center in New Brunswick as well as the future Specialty & Cancer Care Center at the Vogel Medical Campus in Tinton Falls as part of RWJBarnabas Health’s growing statewide oncology network.

A shorter trip

New Jersey Health Commissioner Dr. Raynard Washington stressed how cancer affects individuals, families and communities across the state. He added that expanding access to comprehensive, high-quality care remains a central public health priority for the state.

“Every addition to the state’s cancer care capacity supports the broader work of reducing disparities, encouraging earlier detection and treatment and helping more residents receive timely care throughout their cancer journey,” said Washington. “The opening of the Melchiorre Cancer Center adds to the growing set of resources contributing to that effort.”

Manigan added, “For those across North Jersey who are taking on one of the toughest fights of their life – the fight against cancer – the trip for the best available, National Cancer Institute-designated care no longer requires a drive across a bridge, or through a tunnel. It will be right here, around the corner.”