ChristianaCare Plans New Cancer Care Hub for Middletown as Demand Grows

ChristianaCare’s Middletown Health Center, opening in 2027, will offer comprehensive cancer care and other health services. (Photo credit: ChristianaCare)

ChristianaCare’s Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute plans to expand its services into Middletown, bringing a full range of cancer care to the fast-growing community when the new Middletown Health Center opens in May 2027.

The center, now under construction on Middletown Odessa Road, will offer the same multidisciplinary approach currently available at the Graham Cancer Center in Newark, according to health system officials.

“Our vision is to expand and grow our services throughout the region so that more patients can access high-quality cancer care close to home,” said Thomas Schwaab, M.D., Ph.D., Bank of America Endowed Medical Director of the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute. “By bringing our full cancer-care team and advanced technology to Middletown, we can provide highly precise, coordinated treatment while maintaining the same high standard of care our patients expect.”

Comprehensive Cancer Services

The Middletown site will provide access to specialists across major cancer types, infusion services, radiation therapy, surgical and oncology consultations, nurse navigation, supportive care, and opportunities to participate in clinical trials through the center’s involvement in the National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP). Both in-person and virtual visit options will be available.

A Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator—the same system used at the Graham Cancer Center—will anchor the radiation oncology program.

“The TrueBeam system represents a major step forward in how we deliver radiation therapy,” said Adam Raben, M.D., chair of Radiation Oncology at ChristianaCare. “Treatments that once took 30 minutes can now be completed in just a few minutes, with real-time imaging ensuring precision. This means better tumor control, fewer side effects and a more comfortable experience for patients.”

Growth Driving Demand

Middletown’s population has surged more than 550% since 1990, with continued growth expected, especially among older adults. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town’s population is projected to grow 8% by 2029—nearly double the statewide rate. With an aging population, cancer care demand in the region is expected to increase by 11% over the next decade.

“As our community grows, so too does the need for locally accessible, state-of-the-art cancer services,” Schwaab said. “This expansion represents a pivotal investment in the health of the Middletown–Odessa–Townsend corridor and beyond.”

Part of a Larger Statewide Investment

The $92.3 million Middletown Health Center is part of ChristianaCare’s broader three-year plan to invest more than $865 million in Delaware. The 87,000-square-foot building will sit next to the health system’s existing freestanding emergency department and will house additional services beyond cancer care, including primary care, women’s health, cardiology, pediatrics, neurology, behavioral health, imaging, and lab testing.

The center will also feature walking trails and natural light-filled spaces designed to support a healing environment.

The facility is expected to open in spring 2027.