Beaufort Memorial Hospital | Affiliated with Duke University Health System in heart and cancer

Keyserling Cancer Center


Radiation Oncologist Cynthia Bryant, M.D. stands next to the Keyserling Cancer Center's Linear Accelerator, which offers the latest in radiation therapy.

Advanced Technology Available in Beaufort

It’s been less than a year since the first patient was treated at Beaufort Memorial Hospital’s Duke-affiliated Keyserling Cancer Center, and the center has received overall positive comments from its first formal review by the Duke Oncology Network (DON). The DON provides an array of oncology-related services to a regional network of community cancer programs that have a commitment to excellence in cancer care.

The positive reviews come as no surprise to Keyserling Cancer Center Director Connie Duke, RN, OCN, “We have been working closely with Duke for years – certainly before the center was ever built – to ensure that all of our services are well-coordinated and that they meet the rigorous standards set by the Duke Oncology Network.”

“The purpose of the review is to ensure that the whole team approach at Keyserling Cancer Center enhances the quality of care and outcomes for cancer patients,” says Duke Oncology Network Medical Director Linda Sutton, MD. The review was conducted by a team that included a medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, physicist and oncology nurse, as well as members of Duke’s oncology leadership team.

Currently, the Keyserling Cancer Center is working with Duke to obtain official recognition as a “Community Hospital Cancer Program” from the American College of Surgeons, an accrediting body for cancer centers nationwide. In order to receive this recognition, centers are required to have between 100 and 649 newly diagnosed cancer cases each year and provide a full range of diagnostic and treatment services. In addition, members of the center’s medical staff must be board-certified, and the center must participate in clinical research. The application for recognition requires a two-year track record. Keyserling expects to earn the official recognition in 2009. “Our goal at the Keyserling Cancer Center is to provide the most advanced care to cancer patients in Beaufort and our surrounding communities,” says Connie Duke. “Our partnership with Duke, along with our outstanding medical staff and facilities, enables us to do just that. As we continue to grow, we are able to provide even more services to our patients and their families.”