North County Radiation Oncology Centers Join Scripps Clinic

Note to Patients: The following news is posted for archival purposes only. Scripps is no longer accepting new patients for proton or gamma knife therapy.

The five radiation oncology physicians joining Scripps Clinic are Patrick Linson, MD; Eva Lean, MD; Norbert Kased, MD; Anuradha Koka, MD; and Kenneth Shimizu, MD. Each physician is certified by the American Board of Radiology in radiation oncology. All five have privileges at various Scripps hospitals and have provided radiation oncology services for many years at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla. Drs. Koka and Shimizu also have worked closely with Scripps Clinic physicians at the Scripps Radiation Therapy Center in La Jolla since it opened in 2012.

By becoming part of Scripps Clinic Medical Group, the five physicians join more than 600 providers practicing in more than 50 areas of medicine and surgery. Throughout its 90-year history, Scripps Clinic physicians have been national leaders in clinical research and in the innovation of new medical and surgical therapies.

“We are proud to be joining Scripps Clinic after more than 20 years of providing outstanding care in North County and developing close working relationships with Scripps Clinic Medical Group and Scripps Health,” Dr. Linson said. “Together we will continue our commitment to high-quality care and excellent services. Our patients will also benefit from increased access to the Scripps network of nationally recognized health services.”

Scripps Health has acquired the assets of the two centers, which include two buildings at the Vista site. Current patients should experience no change in their care. The physicians and staff at the centers will continue to practice at their current locations, which now have new names.

• Scripps Clinic Radiation Therapy Center Encinitas (formerly Pacific Radiation Oncology Medical Group), 477 N. El Camino Real, Suite 100, Encinitas, 92024.

• Scripps Clinic Radiation Therapy Center Vista (formerly Oncology Therapies of Vista Medical Group), 916 Sycamore Ave., Suite 100, Vista, 92082.

• Scripps Clinic Radiation Therapy Center Vista CyberKnife (formerly CyberKnife of Southern California at Vista), 902 Sycamore Ave., Vista, 92081.

The centers offer comprehensive radiation treatments including:

• Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), an advanced form of 3-D conformal radiotherapy that allows for very specific doses of radiation to target the tumor while protecting the surrounding healthy tissue.

• Xoft electronic radiotherapy, an FDA-cleared device used to treat skin cancer that uses a miniaturized X-ray tube that is directly inserted onto the tumor and protects the surrounding healthy tissue.

• Accuboost®, an innovative breast radiotherapy treatment that also targets the lumpectomy cavity margin, the tissue most likely to be the site of future recurrence.

• Prone breast board radiation therapy, which allows women to receive radiation face down rather than on their backs, using a specially made table and a technique that limits the amount of radiation doses to normal tissues like the heart and lungs.

Scripps Health is a nationally recognized leader in cancer care, providing comprehensive care at its five hospital campuses and various Scripps Clinic locations. Scripps treats more cancer patients annually than any other provider in California for the following cancer types: breast, colon, bladder, lung (small-cell carcinoma), Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Scripps ranks in the top five statewide for the number of patients treated annually for cancers of the prostate, pancreas, kidney, lung (non-small cell carcinoma), thyroid and skin (melanoma).

Scripps Cancer Care physicians and staff work collaboratively toward cancer prevention, early detection, coordinated treatment and community support services. Scripps Cancer Care is actively involved in leading-edge clinical, translational and basic research. It is accredited as an integrated network program by the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer, a distinction that demonstrates consistency in providing the highest quality of patient care.

Scripps offers advanced treatment technologies at the Scripps Proton Therapy Center, the Scripps Radiation Therapy Center and the San Diego Gamma Knife Center, and through its minimally invasive surgical program. Additional resources include specialized breast care centers and infusion clinics, nurse navigators, rehabilitation services, support groups and the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine.

Learn more about Scripps Health, a nonprofit integrated health system in San Diego, Calif.