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The Duke Difference:

Enhancing Cancer Care at CalvertHealth

Local Patients Benefit from Access to Clinical Trials

For more than two years now, CalvertHealth’s relationship with Duke Health has been transforming cancer care in our community—bringing worldclass expertise, cutting-edge treatments, and now, clinical trials, directly to Southern Maryland—ensuring our patients receive the highest standard of care without having to leave the region.

An Affiliation Rooted in Excellence

“Our affiliation with Duke Health represents excellence in every aspect of cancer care,” said Dr. Theodore Tsangaris, CalvertHealth’s Cancer Program Director. “For the past two years, this relationship has allowed us to elevate the level of care we provide, giving our patients access to Duke’s renowned cancer services right here in our community.” The relationship has been the cornerstone of CalvertHealth’s commitment to bringing the best in oncology care to our patients. The Duke Cancer Network, backed by the resources of the Duke Cancer Institute— ranked among the top four percent of U.S. centers designated as a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center—has been instrumental in this effort.

“They are a leader in their field,” Dr. Tsangaris emphasized. “Their focus on developing new and better approaches to cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment has had a direct impact on our ability to deliver top-tier care. This collaboration has enabled us to keep our staff trained and educated on the latest advancements, and now, it’s allowing us to offer clinical trials to our community.”

Continued Access to Leading Cancer Experts

Over the past two years, our affiliation with Duke Health has also provided our providers with easy access to second opinions from cancer subspecialists working at the academic level. These specialists collaborate with our exceptional oncology team during tumor boards and cancer conferences where treatment plans for local patients are discussed.“In our community, we see all kinds of cancers,” said Dr. Bilal Ahmed, medical oncologist at CalvertHealth. “Having easy access to cancer experts at this level has been a game-changer. It allows us to collaborate closely with specialists who are deeply immersed in specific cancer types, ensuring that our patients receive the most informed and effective treatment plans.”

Learning from the Best

“Access to the educational resources of the Duke Cancer Network has been an incredible opportunity for our entire team,” said CalvertHealth medical oncologist Dr. Arati Patel. “Oncology is a rapidly evolving field, and being able to learn from some of the country’s top researchers has had a direct impact on the quality of care we provide.”

“Cancer is not just one disease,” she continued. “It’s many different diseases, each unique to the patient. Our ongoing affiliation with Duke Cancer Network has enabled us to continually advance, adapt, and accelerate our efforts to give each patient exactly what they need.”

Why Duke Health?

The Duke Cancer Network’s unmatched expertise in collaborating with community hospitals across the country makes them the ideal choice for CalvertHealth. As one of the top 25 comprehensive cancer networks, Duke Health shares our commitment to patient care, fostering an exchange of knowledge, insights, and experience that benefits everyone involved. For our patients, this longstanding affiliation means continued access to:

  • The resources of an NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • The latest cancer research and leading-edge treatment advances
  • Clinical trials only available at the best cancer hospitals in the country
  • Second opinions from all types of cancer experts for treatment planning


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