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85 North Grand Avenue
Ft. Thomas, KY 41075
859-572-3298
7380 Turfway Road
Florence, KY 41042
859-572-3298
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85 North Grand Avenue, Ft. Thomas, KY, 41075 Ph: 859-572-3298
7380 Turfway Road, Florence, KY 41042 Ph: 859-572-3298 |
St. Luke stays on the forefront of cancer treatment, adding new technology and treatments as they develop. There are three types of cancer treatment: radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgery. We have surgeons and medical and radiation oncologists available on-site to recommend the most appropriate treatment plan for each patient. This also provides convenience for patients since they can access all of their physicians in one location.
Treatment options include:
Radiation therapy is the careful use of high-energy radiation to treat cancer or to relieve symptom’s related to cancer, such as bone pain. About 50 to 60 percent of cancer patients are treated with radiation at some time during their illness.
Radiation therapy works because the radiation destroys the cancer cells’ ability to reproduce. Therefore, the cancer cells that receive radiation can’t make more cancer cells, and the body naturally gets rid of them. The body’s normal cells can also be damaged by the radiation; however, normal cells can repair this damage.
The physicians of Oncology Hematology Care, Inc. manage and provide radiation oncology services at The Northern Kentucky Cancer Treatment Centers.
Radiation Therapy options include the following (click to expand):
- Simulations
After radiation therapy is chosen as the right treatment option, treatment planning begins. The first step in treatment planning is simulation. The treatment team begins to map out the actual treatment area. Simulation is important because it helps the radiation oncologist better define exactly how the treatment will be delivered to the tumor area.
The radiation oncologist and the radiation therapist place the patient on the simulation machine. The patient is put in the exact position he/she will be in during the actual treatment. Sometimes molds, casts, headrests and other types of devices are made to keep the patient in the exact position when he/she is treated.
The radiation oncologist considers the patient’s type and size of tumor, the location of the tumor and nearby organs. The radiation oncologist reviews the information provided during simulation and decides if the patient should undergo external beam therapy, brachytherapy, or a combination of the two methods of treatment.
- External Beam Therapy (radiation from a machine)
Most patients undergo external beam radiation treatment. Each external beam treatment is painless (like getting an x-ray). The radiation is directed at the cancer inside the patient. Radiation oncologists at the St. Luke Hospitals use linear accelerators for external beam therapy. These machines produce ionizing radiation. The types of radiation used include x-rays and electrons.
The patient usually receives external beam therapy five days a week. Sometimes treatments require twice-a-day treatment. In some circumstances, a patient may be treated only once or twice a week. It takes five to 15 minutes for each patient to be positioned for treatment. The treatment itself only takes a few minutes. An entire course of treatment usually lasts from one to eight weeks depending on the type of cancer and the goal of treatment.
When the tumor shrinks, another simulation may be done. This allows the radiation oncologist to change the treatment so it destroys the rest of the tumor and spares more normal tissues.
X-rays (“check” or “port” film) may be taken of patients while they are being treated. These x-rays or port films ensure that the patient’s position is correct.
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Radioactive Implants or Brachytherapy (radiation from radioactive sources put inside the patient)
Brachytherapy is a technique that allows the radiation oncologist to put the radiation sources close to the tumor site. Sometimes they are put right into the tumor. The radioactive sources or isotopes are in the form of wires, seeds or rods. This technique is particularly useful in treating cancers of the cervix, uterus, vagina, rectum, prostate, eye and certain head and neck cancers. It can also be used to treat breast, brain, skin, anal, esophageal, lung, and bladder cancer.
There are two types of brachytherapy: intracavitary treatment and interstitial treatment. In intracavitary treatment, containers that hold radioactive sources are put into the organ where the tumor is located. The sources are put into body cavities such as the vagina, uterus or windpipe.
In interstitial treatment (or implants) the radioactive sources are put directly into the tumor, either as temporary or permanent implants.
Patients may be put under general anesthesia during insertion of brachytherapy sources. Temporary implants are left in the patient for several hours or days. While the sources are in place, the patient may stay in a special hospital room away from other patients. Doctors, nurses and other medical staff will continue to take care of these patients while they are in the special hospital room. Patients with permanent implants may have a few restrictions at first and then they can quickly return to their normal activities.
Devices called high dose rate afterloading machines allow the radiation oncologist to complete the brachytherapy quickly. The radiation oncologist may put in and take out the radioactive sources on the same day or soon thereafter. The patient may go home shortly after the procedure is completed.
Sometimes brachytherapy is done in conjunction with external beam therapy. The external beam radiation is given over several weeks to destroy cancerous cells in the large area surrounding the tumor. Then brachytherapy is used to deliver a boost, or higher dose of radiation, to help destroy the main mass of tumor cells.
Chemotherapy is medicine taken by mouth, given intravenously or into a muscle. It travels throughout the body and works to destroy or stop the growth of cancer cells. Some chemotherapy also makes tumors more sensitive to radiation.
The physicians of Oncology Hematology Care, Inc. manage medical oncology services at The Northern Kentucky Cancer Treatment Centers.
Medical Oncology Services include the following:
- Chemotherapy infusions
- Outpatient transfusions
- Outpatient infusions/procedures
Surgery is the oldest form of cancer treatment. Surgeons may remove a tumor and often some surrounding areas of normal tissue during an operation. About 60 percent of cancer patients will undergo some sort of surgery, either by itself or in combination with other therapies.
The St. Luke Hospitals provide the Center for Surgical Oncology as well as the Center for Gyenecologic Oncology. Patients can often see a cancer surgeon, as well as their medical and/or radiation oncologists in the same location. This collaboration among specialties ensures that your care is coordinated so you receive the best care available.
Surgical Oncology services Inlcude the following (click to expand):
- Lumpectomy
the surgical removal of a lump that is malignant (cancerous) or pre-cancerous.
- Mastectomy
removes essentially all breast tissue and the nipple. It may or may not include removal of the lymph nodes.
- Sentinel node biopsy
a biopsy that identifies and tests the lymph node that receives the first drainage from a tumor.
- Surgical biopsy
removes an area of abnormality for pathology analysis. It can be completed either by palpation of a lump or with needle localization.
- Vascular Access Device placement
a device implanted under the skin with a catheter threaded through a large vein to the heart. It allows intravenous medications to be delivered easily and allows access for blood tests.
Woman-to-Woman is our also our philosophy when plastic or reconstructive surgery is needed. We have a team of female surgeons who specialize in breast health and breast surgery. Our Center for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is staffed by a female surgeon who is board-certified in plastic and reconstructive surgery. She specializes in innovative reconstructive surgery for our breast cancer patients.
The St. Luke Physicians for Women provide patients with education on cancer and early detection services. Services include regular gynecological exams with PAP smears, breast exams, colposcopy and biopsies, gynecological surgeries and cultures. For more information about Physicians for Women, call 859-572- 3868, or click here to read more on our web site.
In 2003, The St. Luke Hospitals opened the Center for Breast Health to improve the quality of breast health care in Northern Kentucky. Care encompasses the physical, psychosocial, emotional, spiritual and environmental needs of patients and their designated family members. Our women surgeons specialize in breast health and breast surgery. For more information about the Center for Breast Health, call 859-572-3681, or click here to read more on our web site.
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