WVU Cancer Institute Collaboration Expands Access to Advanced Liver Cancer Treatment at Camden Clark Medical Center

The expansion of WVU Medicine hospitals across the state is changing how and where patients, including those with cancer, receive care.

With this expansion comes a strong network of WVU Cancer Institute centers in the Mountain State. Collaboration across this network allows patients to receive specialized surgical care and ongoing, liver-directed chemotherapy while staying closer to home. 

This fall, a patient received a hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) pump, which is used to treat liver cancer by delivering concentrated doses of chemotherapy directly to the liver, improving tumor response while reducing many side effects associated with traditional systemic treatments.

The procedure was done in Morgantown, but the patient is receiving ongoing chemotherapy exchanges at the WVU Cancer Institute at WVU Medicine Camden Clark Medical Center in Parkersburg. This collaboration greatly reduces the burden on patients and their families. 

Not only is this the first time experts at the WVU Cancer Institute have used this innovative approach to care, but the collaboration also marks a significant milestone in ensuring connected cancer care throughout the state and the Mid-Ohio Valley. 

“This partnership allows our patients to access cutting-edge treatments while remaining in their community for ongoing therapy,” Sabir Hussain, MD, department of Medical Oncology at Camden Clark Medical Center, said. 

Dr. Hussain oversees the patient’s continued therapy at Camden Clark. “By working closely with our colleagues at the WVU Cancer Institute in Morgantown, we can ensure patients benefit from advanced surgical techniques while receiving care near family and support systems.” 

This achievement underscores the WVU Cancer Institute’s commitment to expanding access to advanced therapies through its statewide network of partner sites. 

Carl Schmidt, MD, chief of Surgical Oncology at the WVU Cancer Institute, performed the implant of the pump and emphasized the significance of this advancement. 

“The implantation of the HAI pump in Morgantown represents a first for the WVU Cancer Institute. We are proud to collaborate with Dr. Hussain and the team at Camden Clark to make this possible for patients across the state and beyond.”