The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center broke ground on May 12, 2025, on a $177 million radiation oncology campus in Fort Worth that will provide the most advanced therapies for patients of the nation's 12th-largest city.
The 65,000-sq.-ft. facility, which will include the city's first MRI-guided precision radiation treatment, is expected to meet the growing demands for cancer care in Fort Worth and the surrounding area for decades to come. The campus is projected to open in 2028 and will be connected to UT Southwestern's Moncrief Cancer Institute in the city's Medical District.
"This milestone, once completed, will ensure that Tarrant County residents have access to the best available cancer care, combining the latest advances in medical technology with the expertise of our clinicians and researchers, who are some of the top cancer specialists in the country," said Daniel K. Podolsky, president of UT Southwestern.
"Fort Worth is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and our high quality of life is a major driver of that growth," Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said. "To continue to meet this moment, we need world-class health and cancer care. We know UT Southwestern is at the center of that."
A lead gift from philanthropists Sherri and Robert "Bobby" L. Patton Jr. is helping to make the new expansion possible. Their support underscores the vital role of private philanthropy in advancing UT Southwestern's impact and ensuring that patients across the region have access to the most cutting-edge radiation oncology services close to home.
"Fort Worth is one of the greatest cities in America. It should have great cancer care. This expansion will bring cutting-edge technology and vital health care to our community," Sherri Patton said.
As many as two-thirds of cancer patients need radiation therapy, and the UT Southwestern expansion will create the largest radiation oncology facility in the Fort Worth area, broadening access for patients of all oncologists and offering a convenient location close to home for patients living in Fort Worth and the surrounding area, who often require regular or daily trips for this lifesaving treatment.
The new facility will feature:
• Four linear accelerators (LINACs) to deliver precise radiation treatments to patients, with space to add two more LINACs to meet future demand.
• MRI-guided precision radiation treatment — the first of its kind in Fort Worth – to facilitate therapy with unprecedented accuracy.
• Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, which is critical for accurately diagnosing and evaluating tumor growth.
• A fully equipped brachytherapy suite to provide high-dose radiation treatments for patients with prostate or gynecologic cancers.
UT Southwestern's cancer program is ranked among the top 25 out of 4,500 hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, and its Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in North Texas and one of only 57 in the nation. UTSW also has the largest individual facility for radiation oncology in North Texas, with some of the most sophisticated treatment machines in the world.
Moncrief Cancer Institute has been a part of UT Southwestern since 1999, offering screening programs and educational and support services for multiple counties.
