As the largest health care provider in the Western New York region, Kaleida Health has a long history of providing quality cancer care to patients. Now, the same longstanding services, experienced physicians and nationally accredited care Kaleida has always provided will be delivered under the newly rebranded Kaleida Health Cancer Care name.
Kaleida Health Cancer Care replaces the former Great Lakes Cancer Care Collaborative, reducing confusion and making it easier for patients to understand their care options. Kaleida Health will also retain the strategic partnership with Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) that defined the collaborative nature of the previous name.
“The rebrand of our comprehensive cancer services has been well received in the community,” says Stephanie Guchone, cancer service line vice president at Kaleida Health. “The new name clears up confusion and allows us to better inform the public about the services we offer, who we are and what we do.”
Kaleida Health’s full continuum of cancer care will continue to be provided at more than 20 locations across Western New York, the Southern Tier and northern Pennsylvania, including preventative screenings, testing, treatment, emergency and critical care and care navigation and survivorship services. Accredited by the Commission on Cancer and meeting the highest standards for quality, Kaleida offers special expertise in gastrointestinal, urologic, lung, colorectal, breast and several other cancer types.
Kaleida Health also retains the same deeply experienced physicians through its affiliated entities, including:
- General Physician, the largest cancer care practice in the region
- UBMD, through which Kaleida Health patients have access to the latest clinical trials
- Cancer Care of Western New York
- Western New York Urology
- The Visiting Nursing Association
- Great Lakes Medical Imaging
Kaleida Health’s vast network ensures patients can receive all the care they need, coordinated between all their physicians, oncologists and other providers.
“We can treat every aspect of a patient’s health, not just cancer,” says Guchone. “That is one of the big advantages of Kaleida Health. Our physicians across all disciplines collaborate to identify patients who have mutual health needs and connect them with the specialists they need to achieve the best health outcomes.”
Kaleida Health’s presence in communities like Springville, Olean, Dunkirk and Bradford, Pa., enable patients in rural areas to receive cancer care where they live—a tremendous benefit that allows them to stay near their families and support systems, reducing the stress and burden of frequent travel.
“Our wide reach supports health equity,” says Guchone. “Rural and underserved populations often experience delayed diagnoses and fewer treatment options. They don’t have that with us. They have the same benefit that somebody living in the city of Buffalo or any other large city would have—the same access to high-quality care.”
The Kaleida Health Cancer Care Infusion Center at Buffalo General Medical Center opened in January 2025 to provide more access to chemotherapy infusions for patients downtown and beyond.
With the advanced level of specialty care Kaleida Health has in Buffalo, those physicians are also able to provide that specialized expertise to patients throughout the Kaleida footprint.
By accepting all major health insurance plans, Kaleida Health ensures access to its high-quality, specialized care and experienced physicians regardless of insurance carrier. Importantly, it participates with Medicare Advantage individual plans through Independent Health and United Healthcare, which are no longer accepted at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Kaleida’s cancer program enables patients previously receiving treatment at Roswell to receive the full continuum of care with Kaleida Health.
New patient visits to Kaleida Health Cancer Care increased by about 15 percent in 2025, and the program will continue to grow and expand its reach. Guchone says that’s in part because patients recognize the broad experience of Kaleida physicians and oncologists, the benefits of the network’s coordinated care and the holistic approach to a patients’ needs.
“We spend time with the patient and learn about everything we can do to help them in their cancer journey,” she says. “Our services help coordinate both the medical and social needs of the patient. We offer a food pantry, wig service and grants to help patients with transportation needs. We consider the whole person, not just the medical treatment, and try to make their journey easier.”
Prioritizing early detection
Kaleida's new lung cancer screening program saving lives
“We can treat every aspect of a patient’s health, not just cancer. That is one of the big advantages of Kaleida Health," says Stephanie Guchone, cancer service line vice president at Kaleida Health. "Our physicians across all disciplines collaborate ... and connect patients with the specialists they need to achieve the best health outcomes.”
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., but if diagnosed in the early stages, it’s often highly treatable. To encourage early screening for patients who meet the criteria for regular checks, Kaleida Health Cancer Care recently launched its Kaleida Health Lung Cancer Screening Program.
Patients across Western New York and northern Pennsylvania can access lung cancer screening at several convenient locations in the Kaleida Health network. Screening involves a low-dose CT scan, which is quick, non-invasive and painless.
Lung cancer screening is covered by most insurance plans. You may qualify if:
- You are 50-79 years old
- Have a 20 pack-year smoking history (1 pack per day for 20 years)
- Currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years
If after screening, the patient requires further care, Kaleida Health can work closely with the patient to help coordinate.
Not sure if you should be screened for lung cancer? A Kaleida Health specialist can help determine eligibility. Patients can be referred for testing by their providers, or they can self-refer by filling out a form at kaleidahealth.org/lung-cancer-screening/ or by calling 716-254-LUNG.
“I would encourage patients who smoke or who have a history of smoking to start thinking about lung cancer screening the way we think about routine mammograms; it’s just an annual test,” says Stephanie Guchone, cancer service line vice president at Kaleida Health. “Finding lung cancer early, while it’s still treatable, is critical.”
