World Class Cancer Care in Our Corner of the World

RBOI practicing the most advanced radiation oncology, right here in Central Florida.

When Norman Anderson lost a close friend to cancer at 21, he vowed to make oncology his life’s work. In 1990, Dr. Anderson opened the Robert Boissoneault Oncology Institute, named in honor of that friend lost too soon. He was joined by fellow UF physicians Tim Brant, Steve Bucy, and Joseph Bennett. Years later, Dr. Luis Carrascosa became a member of the team in Marion County.

In 1998, RBOI was awarded accreditation from the American College of Radiology, the highest honor given to radiation oncology practices in the U.S. Recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to cancer care, RBOI utilizes a wide array of treatment modalities including Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT), Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT RapidArc), Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT), and Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS), combined with advanced targeting technologies like Onboard Imaging (OBI), ExacTrac, and Calypso.

But even with all these advanced technologies at RBOI’s disposal, Dr. Anderson is the first to warn against an overemphasis on the machines themselves. “The medical professionals responsible for the design and delivery of the treatment,” he says “are at least if not more important than the technology.” And it is here that RBOI has no equal in the surrounding areas. RBOI employs a team of medical physicists and dosimetrists at each site that are always available, ensuring peer review and the highest possible quality of care.

Patients like Bud Conklin say RBOI deserves equal recognition for its warm, family-like atmosphere. Following his prostate cancer diagnoses in 2011, Bud chose Calypso 4D Localization, which uses GPS-like technology to optimize radiation targeting. Now cancer free, the air force veteran says he was as wowed by the personal attention at RBOI as he was by the advanced therapies. “My 88 year-old mom was worried about her ‘little boy,’” Bud says. “The staff took the time to show her how everything worked, put her mind at ease––I think that says so much.”

The warmth and expertise at RBOI extend beyond medical care. Physician-led support groups offer emotional support and cancer navigators are always available to patients and their families for one-on-one counseling. For patients like Bud Conklin, there’s no reason to travel when they can get cutting edge treatment with the comforts of home. “I didn’t feel like I was sick,” Bud says. “I was just visiting my friends at RBOI every morning.”