Mayo announces $4.9 million expansion to cancer center

With the number of patients doubling, Mayo-Franciscan in La Crosse announced a $4.9 million cancer center expansion Tuesday.

The 3,900-foot expansion will be completed by spring of 2019.

Dr. Paula Gill, chair of the oncology dept., said the expansion is desparately needed.

“We’ve had a doubling in the number of patients that we treat in the past several years – more than a doubling,” she said.

Mayo had been treating 1,000 new cancer patients a year but is now over 2,000, Gill said.

The project will be done in phases so as not to disrupt services.

It will feature nine exam rooms and nine treatment chairs to support services. The 3.9 million dollar project will be done in phases

It will be located in the lower level of the Center for Advanced Medicine and Surgery on West Ave.