Levine Cancer Institute Receives 16 Million Grant for Lung Cancer Program

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 11, 2016 – Carolinas HealthCare System’s Levine Cancer Institute today announced that it has received a $1.6 million grant from the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, to support their program, Lung B.A.S.E.S. 4 Life, an innovative model that will feature a mobile unit for early identification of lung cancer coupled with a comprehensive education, navigation and clinical intervention program to support better outcomes for lung cancer patients. 

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosis, and the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. Access to optimal screening is paramount to early diagnosis, intervention and survival for those at high risk for contracting the disease. Lack of transportation to medical facilities, inability to secure the support resources necessary for adequate preventive care and poor understanding of risk factors that prevent thousands of Americans from receiving necessary cancer screenings.  By eliminating the barriers to care that prevent patients from accessing early diagnosis and life-saving treatment, Lung B.A.S.E.S. 4 Life will improve the quality of life and enhance survivorship for lung cancer patients in the Carolinas. 

The mobile unit, developed by Samsung Neurologica, will have a portable, full-body, 32-slice computed tomography (CT) scanner to deliver high-quality images of both soft tissue and bone through low-dose CT technology. The vehicle is expected to be completed by late 2016 and will be piloted initially in Mecklenburg County with plans to expand into rural areas where access to care is limited. Lung B.A.S.E.S. will provide lung cancer screenings, smoking cessation education, and navigation services to assist patients with any follow-up intervention needed.

“By eliminating the barriers that prevent patients from having access to potentially life-saving treatment, we feel strongly that the Lung B.A.S.E.S. program will improve the quality of life, and increase overall survival, for lung cancer patients throughout the Carolinas,” said Mellisa Wheeler, Disparities & Outreach Manager at Levine Cancer Institute.

“We’re excited to partner with Levine Cancer Institute and Samsung NeuroLogica to support this demonstration project and look forward to learning more about providing lung cancer services to hard-to-reach communities,” says John Damonti, president, Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation. “The best practices developed through this model will become the template for other communities and regions to bring lung cancer screening to underserved populations and may ultimately improve health outcomes for more people.”

Levine Cancer Institute has a long-standing commitment to increasing access to high-quality care for all patients, regardless of where they live, which is demonstrated through implementing community-based programs in underserved communities. In addition to active screenings for breast, prostate and colon cancer, the Institute offers a robust navigation program that currently serves over 12,000 patients.

"We are excited about our new partnership with Levine Cancer Institute and Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation and the opportunity to build this innovative mobile platform that could change the face of lung cancer screening”, said David Webster, Chief Marketing Officer for Samsung NeuroLogica. “We have over 10 years of worldwide experience in developing and integrating portable CT systems into mobile emergency units. The lung cancer screening vehicle is yet another ground breaking application of our proven technology. The benefits of time reduction to diagnosis and early initiation of treatment associated with bringing the CT to the patient is game changing and will revolutionize lung cancer detection by bringing high quality CT imaging to the underserved areas of the Carolinas,”

About Carolinas HealthCare System

Carolinas HealthCare System (carolinashealthcare.org), one of the nation’s leading and most innovative healthcare organizations, provides a full spectrum of healthcare and wellness programs throughout North and South Carolina. Its diverse network of care locations includes academic medical centers, hospitals, freestanding emergency departments, physician practices, surgical and rehabilitation centers, home health agencies, nursing homes and behavioral health centers, as well as hospice and palliative care services. Carolinas HealthCare System works to enhance the overall health and wellbeing of its communities through high quality patient care, education and research programs, and numerous collaborative partnerships and initiatives.

About Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation

The mission of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation is to help reduce health disparities by strengthening community-based health care worker capacity, integrating medical care and community-based supportive services, and mobilizing communities in the fight against disease.

For more information about the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, please visit www.bms.com/foundation or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bmsnews.

About Samsung Neurologica

Samsung NeuroLogica, the healthcare subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., develops, manufactures, and markets innovative imaging technologies and is committed to delivering fast, easy and accurate diagnostic solutions to healthcare providers. NeuroLogica, the global corporate headquarters and manufacturer of computed tomography, is also the U.S. headquarters for sales, marketing and distribution of all Samsung digital radiography and ultrasound systems. NeuroLogica’s growing portfolio of advanced medical technologies are used worldwide in leading healthcare institutions helping providers enhance patient care, improve patient satisfaction, and increase workflow efficiency. Samsung is committed to being leaders in the field of healthcare imaging. For more information, please visit www.SamsungNeuroLogica.com.