PRINCETON, W.Va. — WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital has expanded its cancer services with the addition of three advanced treatment and supportive‑care technologies, giving patients in southern West Virginia and southwest Virginia new options closer to home.
Hospital leaders announced the upgrades during a cancer services update event featuring remarks from President and CEO Karen Bowling; radiation oncologist Joseph Baisden, MD, PhD; and Khristy Shrewsbury, director of oncology services.
The additions include Pluvicto, a radioligand therapy for advanced prostate cancer; THOR Photobiomodulation Therapy, a light‑based treatment designed to ease painful side effects of radiation and chemotherapy; and Cooling Cap Therapy, which may help reduce chemotherapy‑related hair loss. PCH is the first hospital in the region to offer all three and only the second WVU Medicine facility to provide Cooling Cap Therapy.
Bowling said the expansion reflects the hospital’s commitment to bringing high‑level cancer care to rural communities.
“For too long, patients in our region have had to travel hours away from their families and support systems to access the newest cancer treatments,” she said. “Today represents another major step forward as we build a new era of cancer care for southern West Virginia and southwest Virginia.”
Radioligand therapy delivers targeted radiation through the bloodstream, attacking cancer cells while limiting exposure to healthy tissue. Baisden said Pluvicto gives eligible prostate cancer patients “another promising treatment option closer to home.”
PCH’s new THOR therapy aims to reduce severe mouth sores, inflammation and discomfort that often occur during treatment for head and neck cancers. “THOR therapy can help improve comfort and quality of life for patients undergoing challenging treatments,” Baisden said.
Cooling Cap Therapy, now available during chemotherapy infusions, works by cooling the scalp to help reduce hair loss. Shrewsbury said the option can make a meaningful difference for patients navigating the emotional toll of treatment.
“Hair loss can be one of the most emotional and visible side effects of cancer care,” she said. “Cooling Cap Therapy provides patients with a sense of normalcy, dignity and confidence.”
Hospital officials said the new technologies build on ongoing investments in oncology, including a comprehensive cancer center currently under construction on the PCH campus.
“These technologies are more than new equipment or treatment names,” Bowling said. “They represent hope, improved quality of life and expanded access to advanced cancer care for the people of this region.”
WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital operates a 203‑bed acute care facility, a 64‑bed psychiatric hospital, an emergency and outpatient services facility in Bluefield, and a network of primary, specialty and imaging clinics serving a 10‑county region.
