Mays Cancer Center at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) is proud to announce it has earned its inaugural Radiation Oncology Practice Accreditation from the American College of Radiology (ACR). This distinction is recognized as the gold standard in radiation oncology, reflecting the cancer center’s commitment to providing excellence in patient care, safety and effectiveness in treatment.
The Mays Cancer Center is the only center in San Antonio and South Texas to earn the radiation oncology accreditation. Similar centers in Texas with this designation are in Dallas, Houston and San Angelo.
“We are honored to earn this accreditation. It is a significant achievement that reflects our dedication to providing world-class cancer care in our community,” said Mark Bonnen, MD, chief medical officer at Mays Cancer Center and chair of radiation oncology. “Our patients can feel confident they are receiving radiation therapy at a facility that meets the highest standards of quality and safety.”
What the American College of Radiology accreditation means
The ACR is the leading organization in medical imaging and radiation therapy. It is the nation’s oldest and most widely accepted radiation oncology accrediting body. Designed to uphold excellence in cancer treatment, the accreditation involves a self-assessment and peer review process focused on diagnostic image quality, staff qualifications, policies, protocols, equipment and therapeutic treatment. The distinction puts the Mays Cancer Center in an elite group of cancer treatment centers, meeting the highest benchmarks for patient-centered care.
“At the Mays Cancer Center, we are striving to advance standards of cancer treatment, offering next-generation radiation therapies close to home,” said Lei Zheng, MD, PhD, executive director of the Mays Cancer Center and vice president for oncology at UT Health San Antonio. “Achieving this recognition is a testament to our radiation oncology team’s commitment to delivering exceptional care to our patients.”
Radiation Oncology at the Mays Cancer Center
Radiation oncology is a specialty where therapy is maximized to destroy cancer cells and minimize the impact on a patient’s life. Experts stay updated on leading research, using sophisticated and specialized techniques. The radiation specialist is part of a team of providers, along with surgeons and medical oncologists, who take a multidisciplinary approach in discussing a patient’s personalized treatment plan.
Only one of four National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Centers in Texas, the Mays Cancer Center serves 38 counties. It offers a variety of therapies that include 3-D conformal radiation therapy to help doctors treat a tumor while avoiding healthy tissues; intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) to treat certain cancers, such as head and neck, prostate and lung cancers; and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) to treat tumors such as sarcomas and pediatric cancers while protecting surrounding healthy tissues.
Other radiation therapies may include stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to deliver very high radiation doses and target a specific area with extreme precision, reducing treatment time; stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) to treat brain tumors with five or fewer treatments, without a single incision; brachytherapy (also called internal radiation therapy) to deliver high doses of radiation close to a tumor; and pediatric radiation therapy to treat cancer in children from infancy to young adulthood.
For more information on the Mays Cancer Center’s radiation oncology services, visit Radiation Oncology | Mays Cancer Center or call 210-450-1000.