Northeast Texas Cancer and Research Institute opens in Tyler

TYLER — CHRISTUS Health and Texas-Oncology collaborated to build the Northeast Texas Cancer and Research Institute, which had its grand opening in Tyler on Tuesday. According to our news partner KETK, the new clinic is an 85,000-foot facility with about 3,000 feet designated for research space. The facility has specialized areas for radiation oncology, gynecologic oncology, hematology, and medical oncology.  Jason Proctor with CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Hospital said patients enjoy the new facility. “A lot of it is speechless, beautiful. It is such a healing presence, again it makes it easy for them to see their doctors,” he said. Doctor Mark Saunders, with Texas Oncology, said that they want this to be a convenient place for patients. “What we’ve created here is an environment where you can have everything done, the surgical subspecialties, radiation, chemotherapy, cell therapy, everything,” he said.

Many community members gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the facility. “As everyone knows there is a lot going on in the medical field here in Tyler, but CHRISTUS is always at the top and CHRISTUS is always adding new things,” said Tyler Mayor Don Warren.

Saunders said the purpose of this facility is to encourage healing, here at home. Some patients have to travel to Houston or Dallas for their oncology appointments. Now, they have the convenience of having all of their doctors in East Texas. “We did not want them to feel like it is a place for the sick. We wanted it to feel like a place for wellness,” said Saunders.