Untying the Knots of Treatment Options

At Southwest's Regional Cancer Center, your treatment plan may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or other options. What are the best choices for you: Minimally invasive surgery? Chemotherapy you can receive while on the go? A few radiation sessions with CyberKnife®? Clinical research trials to test new outcomes? Instead of being tied into knots of worry, we can help you take a positive “why not?” approach to your cancer treatment.

What kinds of cancer treatment might I have?
What does chemotherapy involve?
What does radiation involve?
What are the risks and benefits of treatment for me?
What types of clinical trials has Southwest been involved with?
How can I find out more about cancer treatment options?
About Dr. Rubano

What kinds of cancer treatment might I have?
Your physician will work with you to determine what course of treatment may be right for you. This may involve chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or any combination of these. Some cancer patients may need to stay in the hospital during their treatment. Other types of treatment can be done on an out-patient basis. In addition, Southwest's oncology plastic surgeon specializes in reconstruction after cancer.

Depending on your situation, Southwest's specialized surgeons may be able to offer minimally invasive techniques or robotic surgery technology to physically remove the tumor. By keeping the incisions small with minimally invasive surgery, people tend to heal more quickly, spend less time in the hospital, and go home sooner.

Customized treatment plans have been proven to be very effective in combating and controlling cancer. The result: Many people diagnosed with cancer are living longer, and for many, the cancer never comes back.

What does chemotherapy involve?
Sometimes cancerous cells that are part of a tumor can break away and travel to other parts of the body. One effective way to find cancer cells where they hide is with cancer-fighting drugs. This process is called chemotherapy.

The type of cancer you have, where the cancer is located, and your general health help doctors decide which drug or combination of drugs is best for you. Some chemotherapy drugs are injected, while others are swallowed. Still others are infused through a thin needle placed in a vein. If you are fitted with an easily portable CADD pump (which looks like a fanny pack), you can even receive your chemotherapy treatment while on the go!

What does radiation involve?
Cancerous cells are more sensitive to radiation treatment than normal cells, so this treatment can dramatically shrink life-threatening tumors. Based on the exact location and shape of the tumors, we can select from several different radiation treatment options at Southwest.

Using our latest radiation technology, such as our CyberKnife^®, we can precisely target the radiation so that we aim directly at the tumors from different angles. This effectively minimizes the risk to your healthier surrounding tissues.

What are the risks and benefits of treatment for me?
It's very important for you to have frank, open discussions with your cancer care team. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Your nurse navigator will provide you with a Guidebook to help you anticipate questions and write down answers.

Jean Toomer once said, “We learn the rope of life by untying its knots.” At Southwest, we want to help you understand your specific condition and your options so that you can actively participate in your treatment decisions.

What types of clinical trials has Southwest been involved with?
Clinical trials and research studies look into new methods of finding, preventing and treating cancer. They also aim to improve cancer survivors' quality of life.

Southwest's cancer research team works every day to find the best treatment options available. Southwest has been a part of many major clinical trials regionally, nationally, and internationally. These have included:

• Breast cancer studies: effectiveness of Tamoxifen, use of chemotherapy and pre-op chemotherapy, fine needle aspiration (FNA) diagnosis, dose-dense chemotherapy, sentinel node breast surgery, use of radiation and Tamoxifen in DCIS, use of Tamoxifen and Roloxifen in prevention of breast cancer
   
• Supportive care studies (such as guided relaxation for cancer patients)
   
• A variety of symptom control studies
   
• Genetic testing and gene mapping for various cancers

Southwest's research team will give you all the details about clinical trials you may be eligible for, including the process and any potential risks.

If you do participate, you may be among the first to receive exciting new treatments. And, you'll help others by advancing medical knowledge. For more information, go to www.swmedicalcenter.org/cancerresearch or call 360.514.2155.

How can I find out more about cancer treatment options?
For more information about treatment options available in Southwest's Regional Cancer Center, go to www.swmedicalcenter.org/cancercenter or call 360.514.2174.

About Dr. Rubano
Christopher Rubano, MD, is an experienced laparoscopic surgeon with Southwest Medical Group Surgical Specialists. He is also the American College of Surgeon's cancer liaison physician for Southwest's Cancer Committee and the community, and he feels a strong commitment to providing optimal care for patients dealing with cancer.

Dr. Rubano has been performing surgery in Vancouver since 2005. He graduated from Loma Linda University Medical School and trained there in general surgery as well.

You can locate a doctor to help you with cancer care (oncology) on our Find a Doctor area.

Published May 2008.

Disclaimer