Nova Scotia Health Minister Maureen MacDonald took her first tour of the Cape Breton Cancer Centre expansion project on Feb. 22 at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital, Monday.

Cape Breton District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer, John Malcom said patients will be able to get enhanced care closer to home when the cancer centre expansion is complete and new radiation therapy treatment equipment becomes operational in July or August.

Health Minister Maureen MacDonald said, "The expansion to the Cape Breton Cancer Centre means staff will be able to treat more patients and provide advanced treatment".

The new equipment is a linear accelerator that targets radiation beams at a cancer patient's tumour. It will be able to perform Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy more accurately and cause less damage to surrounding tissues.

Patients who require Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy experience the longest wait times in Nova Scotia because it is only available in Halifax. But with the completion of the Cape Breton Cancer Centre, patients will have another choice to get this type of care.

Mona Baryluk, Director of the Cancer Centre said, "We're committed to delivering patient care closer to home. To do that, we have to be on top of ever-changing technologies and treatments so we can provide the highest level of care possible for our patients".

The Cape Breton Cancer Centre is an $8-million project.