WARREN — Sharon Regional Medical Center plans to close its Hermitage, Pa., cancer care center March 8 due to low patient demand, the hospital announced.

“Despite our best efforts, patient demand has remained low, and Sharon’s cancer care center remains significantly underutilized,” hospital spokeswoman Rochelle Penman stated in an emailed statement Thursday.

“We will begin transitioning patients of Sharon Regional’s Cancer Care Services so that there is no disruption to their care and treatment plans.”

All patient transfer arrangements will be made before March 8. Patients can go to the facility of their choice, and their records will be transferred. There are facilities in Mercer County, Pa., and eastern Ohio.

As for cancer center staff, “we are working with them on opportunities within Sharon Regional or other sister facilities where they could transition into another role,” Penman stated.

Sharon Regional’s sister hospital, Trumbull Regional Medical Center in Warren — both are part of the Steward Health Care group — in late December closed its maternity ward, also due to low patient demand and underutilization.