Complex and rare cancers comprise approximately 15 percent of new cancer cases each year, making it difficult for patients to locate or research facilities with oncologists or surgical teams that are experienced in treating these specific malignancies.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska has named The Nebraska Medical Center as a Blue Distinction Center for Complex and Rare Cancers(SM). The Nebraska Medical center is the first hospital in the state to earn this distinction. Only 88 other medical centers in the United States have earned the same distinction.

Blue Distinction Centers for Complex and Rare Cancers are facilities within participating Blue Cross and Blue Shield network service areas that offer comprehensive inpatient cancer care programs for adults, delivered by multidisciplinary teams with subspecialty training and distinguished clinical expertise in treating the following complex and rare subtypes of cancer:

Theresa Franco, Dr. Peter Coccia, and
Pam Black from
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska

Related Audio:

Dr. Peter Coccia:

Multi-disciplinary team
Tops in cancer care

Theresa Franco:

Care for patients

• bone cancer
• brain cancer
• esophageal cancer
• gastric cancer
• head and neck cancers
• liver cancer
• pancreatic cancer
• rectal cancer
• soft tissue sarcomas
• thyroid cancer
• acute leukemia

The Nebraska Medical Center has a multidisciplinary team input including sub-specialty trained teams for complex and rare cancers and demonstrated depth of expertise across cancer disciplines in medicine, surgery, radiation oncology, pathology and radiology.

Ongoing quality management and improvement programs for cancer care are in practice at The Nebraska Medical Center. Additionally, clinical data registries are used and access to appropriate clinical research for complex care of rare cancers is also available at all times.

The Nebraska Medical Center’s volume of experience in treating rare and complex cancers was a threshold necessary to be named as a Blue Distinction Center for Complex and Rare Cancers. Blue Distinction® is a designation awarded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska to medical facilities that have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality healthcare. The designation is based on rigorous, evidence-based selection criteria established in collaboration with leading clinicians, medical societies and professional organizations.