Freestanding Cancer Units Double Across the Nation

The number of freestanding radiation oncology centers more than doubled in the United States between 1986 and 1994, according to the American College of Radiology in Philadelphia.

ASTRO, as the college is commonly called, counted 1,542 radiation oncology centers as of 1994, the latest year for which numbers were available. That included 1,047 hospital-based centers, 462 freestanding units and 33 federally operated facilities.

In 1990, ASTRO counted 1,321 radiation oncology centers, 938 of which were hospital-based and 350 were freestanding.

Again, 33 were operated by the federal government.

The total number of centers was 1,144 in 1986, including 890 based at hospitals, 216 freestanding and 38 operated by the federal government.