Elmhurst Hospital secures premier cancer treatment tech with funding from Lee

Borough President Sharon Lee (left) allocated funding for new cancer treatment technology at Elmhurst Hospital. Photo courtesy of QBP

By Rachel Vick

By early 2021, the oncology center at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst will have new, state-of-the-art equipment to accurately remove cancerous cells, thanks in large part to a $5.4 million allocation from Queens Borough President Sharon Lee .

Lee provided the funding for the hospital could purchase and install a medical linear accelerator (LINAC), the first of its kind at any of the New York City’s 11 Health + Hospital branches.

“Acquiring a new, state-of-the-art LINAC machine will allow us to offer patients the latest and best technology available for treating cancer,” said Elmhurst Hospital CEO Israel Rocha Jr. “This critical investment in upgraded equipment will ensure that cancer patients in the Borough of Queens have access to vital, life-saving treatments and the services they need.”

The Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator is a radiation device that uses high-energy x-rays to precisely target the tissue with cancer without affecting the surrounding healthy cells. It will be used to treat a wide range of cancers and replace the hospital’s current 15-year-old technology.

“Investing in cutting-edge technology and bringing it right here to Elmhurst Hospital is a direct investment into our families, our futures and more birthdays,” Lee said. “Top-of-the-line treatment should and will be available for us right here at home, without having to cross a bridge or go through a tunnel.”