Integrative Cancer Treatment

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Featured Topics:

What Is Integrative Care?
Conventional Treatment Options
Complementary Treatment Options
How It Works: You're at the Center of All We Do
You and Your CTCA Care Team

What Is Integrative Care?

At Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), integrative cancer treatment isn’t a buzzword or a recent trend. It’s what we’ve provided to our patients since 1988.

Unlike other hospitals and treatment facilities, at CTCA you will find a comprehensive and integrative approach to fighting cancer—all under one roof. Our integrative cancer treatment expands the boundaries of conventional care by bringing together traditional tools for fighting cancer, such as surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, with complementary therapies, including nutritional support, naturopathic medicine, mind-body medicine, oncology rehabilitation, pain management, and spiritual support.

We are committed to treating all of you—not just your disease—using leading-edge medical technology and innovative medical therapies. With our unique approach, we aim to fight your cancer on all fronts, and with every available resource.

But it takes more than technology, knowledge and skill to fight cancer. It requires the undeniable power of the human spirit. At CTCA, compassionate doctors, nurses, clinicians, therapists, and staff members play an essential part of your care team. Each team member is devoted to you and your fight. They abide by a higher standard—the Mother Standard^®of care. More than a gold standard, the Mother Standard^® reflects the way members of your care team would want their own mothers, fathers, brothers, or sisters to be treated if they had cancer.

Your care team members collaborate on your treatment by sharing essential information and collectively determining the best conventional and complementary therapies for you.

Furthermore, they put you at the center of your care team, encouraging you to participate in your treatment decisions. This patient-centered focus is called Patient Empowerment Medicine^SM (PEM). Patients have responded so positively to PEM that they have given CTCA the highest patient satisfaction scores in the field of healthcare.

In a recent patient loyalty survey, 87 percent or more of our patients who participated in the survey said they would recommend CTCA to friends, family and associates.

Dode Hammack, a stage IV Hodgkin's lymphoma survivor, says of the CTCA promise to empower patients, "It's not the doctor telling you what you're going to do and forcing you—this is it. It's a collaborative effort. They bend over backwards to work with you."

Want to Learn More About Integrative Cancer Treatment?

If you, or a loved one, have been diagnosed with cancer, you need to know what integrative cancer treatment is and how it can help. The following information will help you begin to understand all of the components of our truly integrated cancer treatment model. You, and those you love, deserve nothing less.

The Components of a Fully Integrative Cancer Treatment Program

Conventional Treatment Options

At Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), you will be treated with conventional treatments proven to help fight cancer, such as surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Your type of cancer, the extent of your disease, prior treatment received, your general state of health and your personal wishes are all influential factors in determining the most appropriate cancer treatment combination.

Here are just a few of the many ways in which the conventional treatment options we offer may differ from your local facility:

Surgery

Studies conducted at several major cancer centers have shown that surgical outcomes for certain cancer-related surgical procedures can vary significantly based on the experience of the hospital and the surgeon performing the operation. Our surgeons specialize in cancer-related surgical procedures. The surgical team is led by Edgar Staren, MD, PhD, MBA, nationally recognized for his clinical and research activities as an academic surgical oncologist. He is a highly regarded educator and a Diplomate of the American Board of Surgery, former President of the American Society of Breast Surgeons and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Other experienced surgical oncologists at CTCA include the following:

Richard G. Schmidt, MD, Medical Director of Orthopedic Oncology at CTCA at Eastern Regional Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA
Ranulfo Sanchez, MD, Surgical Oncologist at CTCA at Midwestern Regional Medical Center in Zion, IL
Pierre Greeff, MD, FACS, Surgical Oncologist at CTCA at Southwestern Regional Medical Center in Tulsa, OK

Radiation Therapy

The goal of radiation treatment is to apply enough radiation to kill cancer cells without damaging healthy tissue, while minimizing the side effects of your treatment. Our radiation oncologists utilize state-of-the-art equipment and techniques to provide options that other cancer treatment facilities may not offer. Radiation treatments we offer include the following:

Chemotherapy

The goal of chemotherapy is to deliver a drug—or combination of drugs—to kill your cancer cells, while minimizing the side effects of your treatment. Recognizing that it’s not just a matter of selecting the right chemotherapeutic agent, but also when and how the drug is administered, our medical oncologists are experts at alternative delivery methods. These include the following:

Complementary Treatment Options

We offer truly integrative cancer treatment that combines the best conventional treatment with scientifically based alternative and complementary therapies. Several complementary treatments are available, including the following:

Naturopathic Medicine

At CTCA, qualified naturopathic practitioners will assist your physicians and recommend natural approaches to safely support your whole body, strengthen your immune system and boost your energy. The mission of these practitioners is to best equip you with the natural tools necessary to help you fight cancer. Our naturopathic practitioners constantly communicate with your other care team members, such as surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, nurses, nutritionists, and physical therapists, to make sure the naturopathic plan they recommend is synchronized with every other facet of your treatment.

Nutritional Support

Each patient at CTCA receives a nutritional assessment and an individualized meal plan designed to prevent malnutrition, reduce side effects of treatment and enhance his or her well-being.

Registered nutritionists work closely with you and your oncologists and naturopathic practitioners to make sure that the food you eat complements your cancer treatment. Recommended diets include foods proven to reduce the side effects of certain treatments.

Mind-Body Medicine

Our mind-body medicine program helps you connect with your inner strength and maintain or regain a sense of hope and control over your situation.

Comprised of highly trained, licensed psychotherapists, the mind-body medicine team offers services including individual and family counseling, educational classes that teach stress management techniques (e.g., Qigong, guided imagery) and support groups (e.g., Laughter Club). Many patients that take advantage of these offerings report greater peace of mind, relaxation and improved communication with family members.

Oncology Rehabilitation

Every day, our patients are wowed by the rehabilitation services professionals on staff. They cannot get over how much these therapists are able to help patients improve their quality of life and regain a sense of strength and control over their condition.

Our rehabilitation services team includes physical, occupational, speech, and massage therapists, who educate you on the physical and psychological benefits of physical fitness and help you overcome some of the physical effects of your treatment.

Spiritual Support

We recognize that spirituality is an essential part of many peoples’ lives. There is an extraordinary connection between spirituality and health.

CTCA is a place where all patients—from any faith—can be strengthened, motivated and inspired to utilize their faith in conjunction with treatment modalities to combat their cancer.

Pain Management

Pain affects each person differently, depending on factors such as age, personality, perception, pain threshold, and past experiences with pain. Psychological factors such as fear and worries can also influence the intensity and effects of pain. Insomnia, fatigue and anxiety may lower the pain threshold, while rest, sleep and diversion can raise it.

At CTCA, our dedicated pain management professionals work with you, and the rest of your care team, to develop a pain management program unique to your situation. They focus on relieving your pain and providing integrated and consistent care and support. Patients can receive conventional pain-reduction treatments, such as medication and more advanced procedures, in addition to complementary treatments, such as acupuncture, acupressure and meditation.

How It Works: You're at the Center of All We Do

Each CTCA clinical area below offers an individual assessment and may become part of your multidisciplinary treatment plan. All areas work together, providing you with the best coordinated care possible. Throughout your treatment, you also receive ongoing evaluations, personal consultations, education, and support.

You and Your CTCA Care Team

At CTCA, integrative cancer treatment is all about effective combinations: convention and innovation; mind, body and spirit; expert oncologists and experienced complementary medicine clinicians; and ultimately—you and your care team.

We make every effort to understand your unique medical condition, needs and desires. You and your multidisciplinary care team will work together to develop and implement a comprehensive treatment plan, customized to your unique needs and diagnosis.

In March 2008, we implemented a new electronic data management system called the Electronic Health Records (EHR) system. The EHR system reinforces the CTCA integrative model of care by allowing CTCA clinicians to work collaboratively from one automated patient record. Learn how the EHR system works.

Whether you’ve recently been diagnosed and are looking for an integrative cancer treatment program, or you are already undergoing treatment, but are unhappy with your current plan, call Cancer Treatment Centers of America to discuss your treatment options. To speak with an Oncology Information Specialist, dial 1-800-615-3055. Or, if you’d prefer to chat online with an Oncology Information Specialist, simply click here.

Learn More: Integrative Medicine in Cancer Care

To learn more about integrative medicine, read our March 2007 newsletter, featuring the role of integrative medicine in cancer. To subscribe to our free monthly e-newsletter, visit the CancerCenter Newsletter Sign Up page today.

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