UChicago Medicine hopes to expand its cancer care across the country — becoming the latest hospital system to try to grow by working with health systems outside its home turf.

UChicago Medicine announced its first affiliation Tuesday with AdventHealth Cancer Institute Shawnee Mission in the Kansas City area. As part of the affiliation, patients at the Kansas cancer institute will have access to UChicago Medicine treatments, clinical trials and second opinions from UChicago Medicine doctors.

The Kansas cancer institute will remain an independent entity but align with UChicago Medicine when it comes to standards in clinical care, medical education and research. A UChicago Medicine spokesperson did not answer questions about the financial details of the arrangement.

The UChicago Medicine Cancer Network is “uniquely positioned to provide expertise nationwide,” said Dr. Kunle Odunsi, director of the UChicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center.

U.S. News & World Report ranks University of Chicago Medical Center as the 12th best hospital for cancer in the country and the best hospital for cancer in the Chicago area.

“The goal is to take these types of opportunities to communities where patients live so that a patient in Kansas does not have to travel to Chicago to receive UChicago Cancer Center type of care,” Odunsi said. “They can remain in their local area and have incredible access just like anyone who lives in our region.”

Dr. Brenda Shoup, medical director of AdventHealth Cancer Institute, said in a news release, “We’re bringing nationally recognized expertise and innovation to our community — ensuring our patients have access to the latest treatments and research without having to travel far.”

It could be the first of a number of affiliations for the UChicago Medicine Cancer Network.

UChicago Medicine is beginning discussions with other health systems about additional affiliations, Odunsi said.

“We continue to invest (locally) but we believe that we have a lot to offer beyond our local region, a lot to offer across the country, so there is no specific number right now (of possible affiliations) but where the opportunities arise we will take advantage of those opportunities,” Odunsi said.

UChicago Medicine joins a growing trend, as it works to collaborate with health systems across the country for cancer care.

Rush University System for Health partnered with University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center last year. U.S. News & World Report ranks MD Anderson Cancer Center as the No. 1 cancer hospital in the country.

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Under that partnership, the Rush Cancer Center was renamed as the Rush MD Anderson Cancer Center. Rush said, when the partnership was announced, it would allow protocols and cancer treatment plans at Rush to mirror those available at MD Anderson, give patients access to more clinical trials, and allow Rush doctors to consult with MD Anderson doctors on treatment decisions.

Rush is one of seven health systems across the country that have partnered with the MD Anderson Cancer Network.

Northwestern Medicine also, in the past year, announced collaborations with multiple Florida health systems.

In June, Northwestern announced a collaboration with Florida’s BayCare that would give BayCare access to more medical treatments, clinical research and training opportunities for current and future physicians in west central Florida.

Last fall, Northwestern said it would collaborate with Florida’s Naples Comprehensive Health, allowing Naples’ to take advantage of Northwestern’s clinical trials, oncology experts and offer its patients second opinions from Northwestern doctors.

Health systems are increasingly focusing on cancer care, with demand climbing as baby boomers age. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention has projected a 49% increase in annual cancer cases between 2015 and 2050.

Chicago-area hospitals have been working to expand and improve their cancer offerings locally as well.

UChicago Medicine is building a 575,000-square-foot freestanding cancer hospital on Chicago’s South Side. Scheduled to open in 2027, that cancer center is intended to give South Side residents greater access to cancer care while attracting patients from across the region.

Northwestern is also hoping to build a new tower on its Streeterville campus with more than 200 beds that would also consolidate oncology services now spread across five buildings on the hospital campus.

Endeavor Health is adding a two-story addition to its Knowles Cancer Center at Endeavor Health Elmhurst Hospital, and converting a floor of the Galter Medical Pavillion at Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital into a cancer space with additional rooms.

UChicago Medicine previously acquired a controlling interest in four AdventHealth hospitals in west suburban Bolingbrook, Glendale Heights, Hinsdale and La Grange. That deal, however, involved only AdventHealth’s Great Lakes Region. AdventHealth has hospitals and care sites across nine states.

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