Mega Doctor News
By Roberto Hugo González / Mega Doctor News
McALLEN, Texas — Texas Oncology celebrated the grand opening of its McAllen West clinic Sept. 29, expanding cancer treatment, diagnostic, and research capabilities in the Rio Grande Valley as the organization continues its presence in the region, spanning more than 40 years.
The ribbon-cutting brought together Texas Oncology physicians and staff, McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos and representatives of area chambers of commerce.
Dr. Steven Paulson, president of Texas Oncology, said the new location represents an additional commitment to McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley. He said the organization’s existing McAllen center had been operating near capacity.
“Our commitment to the delivery of cancer care to Texans with cancer is that we want to make sure that no one, regardless of where they are, is denied access to the absolute best cancer care that they can have,” Paulson said.
Villalobos said access to healthcare is an important part of quality of life and welcomed the expansion. He also pointed to its role in economic development through jobs and workforce retention.
“Texas Oncology, thank you so much for doing this,” Villalobos said. “I congratulate you, and we really welcome the expansion.”
Elizabeth Suarez, president of the McAllen Chamber of Commerce, described the clinic as an investment extending beyond the building itself.
“Today for us is about so much more than an opening of a facility,” Suarez said. “It’s about more than brick and mortar. It’s about the investment you’ve made in our people.”
Cynthia Sakulenzki, president of the RGV Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, congratulated Texas Oncology and cited the importance of expanding healthcare services for the Valley’s growing population.
Maritza Gonzalez, founder and director of the Texas Healthcare Alliance Chamber of Commerce, joined co-founder Lorena Hernandez in recognizing the organization. Gonzalez said the chamber has formed a cancer resource coalition consisting of seven nonprofit organizations providing free assistance to cancer patients and their families.
Dr. Guillermo Lazo, Texas Oncology’s area medical director for the Rio Grande Valley, said the McAllen West project took about seven years to complete, including planning, budgeting, the COVID-19 pandemic and changing deadlines.
“We are here to make that distance shorter,” Lazo said, referring to the distance patients sometimes travel and the time they wait for cancer testing and treatment.
Lazo said the 15,000-square-foot facility includes a state-of-the-art PET scanner that can be used for staging, restaging and treatment-response assessments. The center also has a full clinical laboratory, 15 examination rooms, four physician offices and 20 infusion chairs, including one private infusion room.
“Put it all together, and this is what it means: A patient can be diagnosed here, scanned here, have laboratory work done here, and begin treatment here close to home,” Lazo said.
According to Lazo, Texas Oncology’s Valley offices also have access to 65 clinical research protocols, most of them Phase III, through the US Oncology Research Network. He said the McAllen location plans to add surgical oncology.
“Clinical research is how tomorrow’s standard of care gets built,” Lazo said. “A patient in the Valley should not have to leave the community to explore innovative therapies.”
Gloria Perez, practice director in McAllen, closed the program before the ribbon-cutting and facility tours.
“While today marks the grand opening of McAllen West, it also marks a new beginning,” Perez said. “It opens new opportunities to serve our patients and begins a new chapter in our longstanding commitment to the Rio Grande Valley.”
