US Oncology Announces Expanded Educational Resources to Cancer Patients Through New Affiliations with CURE & NexCura

THE WOODLANDS, Texas, Feb. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- US Oncology, Inc., the premier cancer care services organization supporting the nation's largest cancer treatment and research network dedicated to advancing the quality and cost-effectiveness of cancer care in America, announced today that it has acquired Dallas-based CURE Media Group and Seattle-based NexCura. These two companies serve as an important piece of the overall strategy for US Oncology to expand the availability of integrated and personalized information and resources on specific diseases and treatments to cancer patients in America.

CURE Media Group publishes CURE magazine and its associated Website www.curetoday.com. With a mission to make cancer easier to understand for patients, CURE magazine and the curetoday.com Website each provide rich, patient-focused content regarding all aspects of cancer care, research, and other patient issues. The magazine is a free, advertiser-supported quarterly publication designed to provide cancer patients with the necessary resources to help them throughout their journey with cancer. The magazine offers special editions and organizes live events such as the Oncology Nursing Society's Extraordinary Healer award event that brings together patients and caregivers.

NexCura is an online resource that provides timely and targeted knowledge for patients and caregivers facing critical treatment choices. Patients using NexCura's patented Cancer Profiler technology generate reports of individualized treatment options based on peer-reviewed clinical research. NexCura tools cover 85% of all cancers. The NexCura tool is free for patients and is distributed through placement on various premier Websites such as the American Cancer Society website www.cancer.org and the LIVESTRONG website www.livestrong.org.

Starting in May of this year, both www.curetoday.com and the NexCura Profiler technology will be available to all patients in the United States through the US Oncology Website, www.usoncology.com, and through other Websites. As is true with all US Oncology affiliations, CURE Media Group and NexCura will remain operationally and editorially independent, but will be able to tap into US Oncology resources to expand distribution and presence to reach more patients in America.

"The tools available through CURE and NexCura will enhance US Oncology's multi-channel strategy to give patients round-the-clock access to their personal health record, enable them to be better informed about their particular disease, and provide resources to help patients manage their care online," says Bruce Broussard, Chairman and CEO of US Oncology. "We envision enhancing our integrated care model by developing virtual connectivity of care providers and patients through these new resources."

"These acquisitions demonstrate a commitment to a key strategic focus of empowering patients with integrated and personalized information and resources for cancer care," says Roy Beveridge, M.D., Medical Director at US Oncology. "With the addition of CURE Media Group and NexCura, US Oncology now has the ability to service patients in person through its 493 sites of service, in print through CURE magazine, and online through www.curetoday.com and NexCura's treatment decision tools."

About US Oncology

US Oncology, Inc., is the leading oncology services company uniting the nation's largest cancer treatment and research network to expand patient access to high-quality, cost-effective cancer care and advance the science of cancer care. Headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas, US Oncology provides a broad range of solutions to community oncologists, patients, payers, and the medical industry across all phases of the cancer care research and delivery system, and deploys innovation, technology, research and the use of evidence-based medicine and shared best practices to improve patient outcomes and offer a better patient experience. For more information, visit www.usoncology.com.

About CURE Media Group

Through its unique and award-winning products, Dallas-based CURE Media Group has become the source of information and inspiration for those on the cancer journey. CURE Media Group's flagship product, CURE magazine, is the indispensable guide for every stage of the cancer experience.  By combining science and humanity, CURE helps patients, survivors, and caregivers navigate the cancer journey and understand their diagnosis and treatment, while providing tools to cope during and after cancer. Through the magazine, an annual resource guide for the newly diagnosed, educational forums, books, and an interactive website and variety of online tools, CURE Media Group combines science and humanity to make cancer understandable. More information can be found at www.curetoday.com.

About NexCura

When patients and caregivers face critical treatment choices, NexCura delivers the timely, targeted, evidence-based and personally relevant knowledge they need. Using patented technology, the Profiler tools generate individualized treatment options information based on peer-reviewed clinical research. With tools for 29 specific conditions, including 85 percent of all cancers as well as cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions, the Profiler tools have been used by over 1 million patients and caregivers. As a trusted source of reliable, up-to-date treatment information, the tools are offered for free through the Web sites of national advocacy groups, healthcare organizations and healthcare portals. NexCura supplements the information in the Profiler tools with timely, relevant news on behalf of pharmaceutical and medical device companies. This can include information about new drugs, or new indications, updated research and leading-edge clinical trials. This additional information is sent only to those who give their consent; and for whom the information is clinically appropriate. For more information, visit www.nexcura.com

SOURCE US Oncology, Inc.