Cancer care center returns to Wichita

A Salina-based oncology practice has re-established its physical presence in Wichita and wants to increase the number of cancer specialists staffing it.

Husband-and-wife medical oncologists Wajeeha Razaq and Mohammad Razaq of Central Care Cancer Center began seeing patients in Wichita earlier this month.

They are working out of an office at Cypress Heart, at 9300 E. 29th St. North, near Webb.

Earlier this decade, Central Care had operated an office in Wichita. But changes at the former Via Christi Riverside Medical Center and other market forces prompted Central Care to leave the Wichita market, even though the practice's chief executive, Alfredo Lopez, said "we've never really disconnected ourselves with Wichita."

"Doctors kept calling us, asking, 'When are you coming back?' " Lopez said. "So that was in the back of our minds."

But it was the hiring of the Razaqs that sealed Central Care's return to the city.

"We (found) these two wonderful doctors and said, 'OK, maybe it's time to be more aggressive and be in Wichita and have a bigger presence,' " Lopez said.

The Razaqs — who are splitting some of their time between Central Care's offices in Newton and Emporia — came to Kansas from Omaha.

Wajeeha Razaq practiced at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha and served as a principal investigator on many clinical trials, she said. She specializes in breast and gynecological cancers.

Mohammad Razaq practiced in a large group in nearby Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he also oversaw clinical trials. He specializes in genetic counseling.

"We had been looking for any opportunity where we could both work together," Mohammad Razaq said.

Lopez said the Razaqs will be joined this summer by another medical oncologist, Elshami Elamin, who also will split his time between the Wichita, Emporia and Newton offices.

Wajeeha Razaq said she expects to be the one to spend the most time in Wichita.

"I'm definitely going to focus more on Wichita," she said.

This story was originally published April 2, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Cancer care center returns to Wichita."