Chicago-Area Health Systems Race to Expand Cancer Care Infrastructure Amid Rising Demand
Key Insights
Endeavor Health (search) Northwest Community Hospital received state approval for a $175 million, 104,000-square-foot cancer (search) and neuroscience center in Arlington Heights, with construction expected to begin later this year and completion by December 2029.
Northwestern Medicine plans a $275 million cancer (search) care facility in Orland Park, backed by a $225 million donation from the St. George Foundation (search), to replace the current St. George Cancer Institute.
Cancer (search) incidence in the Northwest Community service area is projected to grow 12% between 2023 and 2028, while the CDC projects a 49% increase in annual cancer cases nationwide between 2015 and 2050.
The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board unanimously approved Endeavor Health (search) Northwest Community Hospital's proposal to build a new $175 million cancer (search) and neuroscience center, marking the latest development in an intensifying race among Chicago-area health systems to expand oncology infrastructure.
The three-story, 104,000-square-foot facility in Arlington Heights will consolidate the hospital's outpatient cancer (search) and neurological care, connecting to the main hospital via a bridge. David Rahija, president of the hospital, said the project will create more capacity while delivering a more coordinated patient experience. "This is going to allow us to create more capacity to meet the demand but also do it in a much more cohesive, coordinated way by bringing everything under one location so patients don't have to travel," Rahija said. "They will have a much more seamless experience."
The project will also enable Northwest Community to add more oncology specialists and provide area patients with greater access to clinical trials, according to Endeavor. The hospital must still secure approval from the village of Arlington Heights, though Mayor James Tinaglia has expressed support. "Currently, patients in our community face limited access to cancer (search) subspecialty care and have significant travel times to seek treatment," Tinaglia wrote in a letter to the state board. If all approvals are obtained, construction is slated to begin later this year with completion targeted for December 2029.
Northwestern Medicine's $275 Million Orland Park Project
In a parallel development, Northwestern Medicine announced plans for a new four-story cancer (search) care medical office building and 484-car parking garage on its Orland Park campus, at a total cost of $275 million. The project is anchored by a $225 million donation from the St. George Foundation (search), a private foundation that previously donated $51 million for the Northwestern Medicine St. George Cancer Institute.
The new facility would replace the current St. George Cancer (search) Institute, which would be repurposed for other clinical services. It will house infusion stations, diagnostic imaging, and radiation treatment capabilities. Pending state board approval, construction could begin in October with completion expected by the end of March 2030.
Northwestern stated in its application that the expansion would "improve timeliness, equity, and convenience while supporting better outcomes" for patients in the South suburbs.
Growing Demand Driven by Demographics and Survival Gains
The wave of investment is fueled by converging demographic and clinical trends. In the area served by Northwest Community, cancer (search) incidence is expected to grow by 12% between 2023 and 2028, according to the hospital's application citing Advisory Board data. Northwestern's application noted that the population aged 65 and older in its service area is projected to grow by more than 10% over the next five years.
Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has projected a 49% increase in annual cancer (search) cases between 2015 and 2050. At the same time, survival rates have improved markedly: 70% of patients now survive at least five years after diagnosis, compared with approximately 50% in the mid-1970s, according to an American Cancer Society report. This longevity translates into sustained demand for outpatient cancer services.
Broader Regional Expansion
The Endeavor and Northwestern projects join a growing roster of cancer (search) care investments across the Chicago area. Advocate Lutheran General recently received state approval for a $99 million project that includes expanding cancer care at its Park Ridge campus. UChicago Medicine is constructing a 575,000-square-foot freestanding cancer hospital on Chicago's South Side. Endeavor Health (search) is also adding a two-story addition to its Knowles Cancer Center at Elmhurst Hospital and converting space at Swedish Hospital's Galter Medical Pavilion for cancer services. Rush University System for Health opened a 55,000-square-foot cancer center in Lisle in 2024.
Endeavor, formerly NorthShore University HealthSystem, acquired Northwest Community in 2021 and has since expanded outpatient offerings across its network, including at Swedish Hospital and Elmhurst Hospital. Rahija emphasized that Northwest Community will remain a multidisciplinary hospital while Endeavor continues bringing more specialists into community settings.