Technology Offers Advanced Detection and Treatment at Memorial Cancer Institute
Disease-Specific Cancer Care
In an effort to provide the highest level of individualized care, Memorial Cancer institute recently launched a disease-specific breast cancer program, and is developing similar programs for colorectal cancer, lung cancer and hematological cancers.
Patients facing a cancer diagnosis often desire the opinion of several medical experts simultaneously, and at Memorial Cancer Institute, they will get that. The Institute also has increased the number of experts on its Tumors Board to allow for a more intensive and meticulous study of each case, as well as a multidisciplinary approach to the patient's diagnosis and treatment.
Further, Memorial Cancer Institute is committed to providing psychological support and rehabilitation to enhance quality of life for patients during treatment and recovery.
April 2005 - April is National Cancer Control Month, dedicated to highlighting advances against cancer and increasing public awareness of the disease.
Through diagnostic technology, innovative treatment options and multidisciplinary expertise, Memorial Cancer Institute - the leading cancer institute in Broward and Palm Beach Counties - is helping more patients overcome cancer. In addition, the Institute has launched a number of disease-specific programs to further enhance its comprehensive cancer care.
Early Cancer Detection
The latest addition to Memorial Healthcare System hospitals is the 16-slice LightSpeed® computed tomography (CT) scanner, which provides highly detailed images of the human body, helping to detect disease at the earliest stages.
The LightSpeed® CT scanner, manufactured by GE Medical Systems, allows a clinician to simultaneously capture multiple, wafer-thin images of a patient's anatomy within seconds, shaving precious minutes off the exam time. This innovative technology provides exceptional, high-resolution images that help doctors to more accurately detect and diagnose medical problems - including various forms of cancer.
"The addition of the 16-slice LightSpeed® CT scanner complements and extends the high range of quality diagnostic services that we offer the residents of South Florida," says Lawrence Sanders, MD, radiologist on the medical staff at Memorial Regional Hospital, Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital, Memorial Hospital West, Memorial Hospital Miramar and Memorial Hospital Pembroke. "Multidetector CT scanners like the LightSpeed® provide superior speed and resolution over previous generations of scanners. This allows for the precise imaging of the body's organs, permitting us to see small tumors that previously would have been undetectable. Determining the presence of additional tumors at the time the primary tumor is diagnosed is crucial in developing the most effective therapy."
For the detection of breast cancer, the R2 ImageChecker represents an important diagnostic tool. After the screening mammogram film is developed and read manually, the R2 ImageChecker identifies areas that require closer inspection. In addition, the Breast MRI Biopsy Coil allows physicians to locate and biopsy small lesions that might otherwise go undetected. Also available is digital mammography, which converts X-rays into electric signals that produce images on a computer screen. These images can be processed in multiple and enhanced formats to better detect and characterize breast lesions.
Treatment Advances
While early detection is an important first step against cancer, Memorial Cancer Institute also offers some of the most sophisticated and advanced technologies for the treatment of various types of cancer. This includes:
- Embolization — shuts down blood vessels that feed a growing tumor, causing it to die.
- High-Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy - administers high-intensity radiation directly in or near the cancer site for greater effectiveness and fewer side effects.
- Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) — delivers tightly focused, extremely precise radiation beams that attack the tumor from all sides.
- Mammosite® — uses a single catheter for partial breast radiation therapy for early-stage breast cancer, with fewer side effects than full-breast radiation. Memorial Cancer Institute is one of only a few locations nationwide offering this innovative treatment.
- New Drug Therapies — involve chemotherapy drugs, such as CPT-11 and Oxaliplatin, that produce greater survival rates when combined with the new radiation delivery methods and tumor surgery. In addition, Avastin and Erbitux represent a new class of drugs called monoclonal antibodies that have proven effective in treating metastatic colorectal cancer.
- Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) — uses electromagnetic waves to generate heat to destroy targeted portions of cancerous tissue.
Further, Memorial Cancer Institute offers participation in some of the latest, FDA-sponsored clinical trials.
If you are concerned about your risk for cancer and would like a referral to a physician, call Memorial Physician Referral Service toll-free at (800) 944-DOCS. We're available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.