A Johnson County radiation oncology clinic has shuttered its operations after 13 years of serving cancer patients. The Iowa City Cancer Treatment Center (ICCTC), 3010 Northgate Dr., formally closed its doors July 1, according to an answering service associated with its phone number. “Over the past few years, Iowa City Cancer Treatment Center saw a […]
A Johnson County radiation oncology clinic has shuttered its operations after 13 years of serving cancer patients.
The Iowa City Cancer Treatment Center (ICCTC), 3010 Northgate Dr., formally closed its doors July 1, according to an answering service associated with its phone number.
“Over the past few years, Iowa City Cancer Treatment Center saw a reduction in the number of patients seeking care, primarily driven by patients choosing to receive oncology care at a comprehensive cancer center location,” said Dr. Bryan Allen, ICCTC’s chair of the board of managers, in an email to the CBJ.
“Cancer centers like
UI Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, which has radiation oncology within a multidisciplinary medical oncology group, allow for better collaboration and easier access to a full range of supportive care services during treatment, including psychosocial support, nutritional counseling, genetic counseling, survivorship programs, and palliative care,” he added.
Many ICCTC providers also practice at Holden locations, he said, making the transition smoother for the clinic’s patients.
“This will also provide patients with easier access to the wider range of specialized treatments,
advanced technologies, clinical trials and multidisciplinary expertise available at Holden,” Dr. Allen said.
Patient model records were automatically transferred to UI Health Care following the clinic’s closing, according to ICCTC’s answering service, although patients had the option to transfer them elsewhere.
The closing occurred a year after the Iowa Cancer Registry
reported that the state has the second highest cancer rate in the nation.
“In 1973, the Iowa Cancer Registry recorded 10,140 new cases of cancer among Iowans. Now, we record over 20,000 a year,” the report stated.
The 2024 report estimates that Johnson County will see 725 new cases this year, with Linn County leading the state at an estimated 1,480 cases.
Iowa Cancer Cure, LLC is listed as the owner of the Northgate Drive facility. A UI Health Care official said it has no plans to purchase or lease the building to add to its growing portfolio of medical facilities. Attempts to reach Iowa Cancer Cure’s president, Dr. Hamed Tewfik, on whether or not the company will sell the location were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
The clinic employed five staff members, two of whom received offers and transitioned to UI Health Care, a spokesperson said.
