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New Hyde Park is now home to a $14 million, 21,000-square-foot cancer center for women.
Northwell Cancer Institute’s Center for Women’s Cancer at the R.J. Zuckerberg Cancer Center offers comprehensive breast and gynecological cancer services. The new facility is designed to provide specialized, integrated care through all stages of treatment and long-term follow-up, and in one location, easing logistical travel burdens.
The center aims to close a gap in cancer care for women by aligning breast and gynecologic oncology services to incorporate shared genetic and clinical characteristics, particularly in patients with BRCA gene variants and other hereditary cancers.
“This new center represents our commitment to precision oncology and the recognition that women’s cancers require specialized, coordinated care,” Dr. Richard Barakat, physician-in-chief and executive director of the Northwell Cancer Institute, said in a news release about the center.
“By unifying our expertise in breast and gynecologic malignancies, we’re not just enhancing convenience — we’re creating a new approach where genetic counseling, surgical intervention, medical therapy and psychosocial support come together seamlessly, ultimately improving survival rates and quality of life for our patients,” Barakat said.
The center opens at a time when there are about 311,000 new invasive breast cancer cases and 117,000 new gynecologic cancer cases each year in the United States, according to estimates released in 2024 by the American Cancer Society.
By integrating breast surgery, gynecologic oncology, medical oncology and comprehensive support services, the center aims to address the interconnected nature of women’s cancer risks, offering care tailored to women’s specific health needs.
Designed by Boston-based E4H Architecture, the center features 26 exam rooms, 10 consultation rooms, two procedure rooms, an onsite laboratory and a therapeutic garden designed to promote relaxation and support wellness. Accessible services include infusion therapy, radiation medicine, plastic surgery, genetic counseling, genomic testing, imaging and clinical trials – all of which are steps away within the same building.
The center links the Northwell Cancer Institute and the health system’s Katz Institute for Women’s Health. More than 20 physicians and multidisciplinary teams will collaborate daily, according to established clinical practices that enable real-time care planning and accelerated treatment protocols.
“The center makes it easier for us to develop care plans with our colleagues and manage our patients as one team,” Dr. Veena John, system head for gynecologic medical oncology at the Northwell Cancer Institute and medical director for the Center for Women’s Cancer, said in the news release.
“Whether it is a medical oncology trial, a radiation medicine trial or a surgical trial, they will all be available to patients in the same building, limiting the need to go to different sites to enroll,” John added. “Particularly for patients with recurrent disease, we have ongoing trials that offer unique therapies that are otherwise not available, and we expect that the number of trial opportunities will continue to grow.”
Nurse navigators can coordinate care and guide patients through consultation, treatment and survivorship. Navigators collectively speak nine languages, including Armenian, Cantonese, Hindi and Spanish.
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Adina Genn
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