Aug 26 (Reuters) - Drug distributor McKesson

said on Monday it would buy a controlling stake in community

cancer center Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute's

business and administrative services unit, Core Ventures, for

$2.49 billion in cash.

McKesson would acquire about a 70% stake in the unit, which

would be part of its U.S. pharmaceutical segment.

Upon the close of the transaction, Florida Cancer

Specialists - which operates in nearly 100 locations across

Florida, with more than 250 physicians and 280 nurses and

physician assistants - would remain independently owned and join

McKesson's U.S. oncology network.