Treating the Person, Not Just the Cancer

When you or a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, the first thing you need to know is this: Cancer is no longer considered an automatic death sentence. More people are living as cancer survivors than ever before. Even before treatment begins, PeaceHealth Southwest’s team of experts, including nurse navigators, will meet with you and your family to discuss the personal and practical details. We want to help you thrive, not just survive.

What happens before treatment begins?
Who else is part of my cancer treatment team?
What happens once I go home?
Why should I consider Southwest for cancer care?
How can I find out more about Southwest’s Regional Cancer Center?
About Dr. Marquez

What happens before treatment begins?
Unique to PeaceHealth Southwest, your team of cancer experts begins with a Pre-Treatment Consult (PTC). This appointment usually is set up within the first week after meeting with your physician.

During the PTC, you and your loved ones will meet with a nurse navigator, pharmacist, insurance specialist, and social worker. They will provide you with information about your chemotherapy treatment and services available at the Regional Cancer Center.

• Like compasses that provide direction, our nurse navigators are registered nurses specializing in oncology who help guide you and your family through the healthcare system during your cancer experience. The nurse navigators are your resource for information. They can provide one-on-one instruction and help you with specific resources related to your cancer diagnosis, treatment and care.
   
• A board-certified, clinical pharmacist will provide information about your chemotherapy treatment, such as the schedule, side effects, and how to take your medications at home. You will be given detailed drug information to take home. By working on site, PeaceHealth Southwest’s oncology pharmacists know your medical history and are part of the link to your overall experience.
   
• A licensed Life and Disability insurance specialist will review your medical benefits with you, as well as answer any questions you may have about your rights as an insured or Medicare recipient. You will be provided with insurance resources that may be available to you during treatment. This specialist is part of the Cancer Center staff and is experienced with addressing the unique questions that arise around insurance benefits for cancer patients.
   
• PeaceHealth Southwest’s Masters-level oncology social workers are professionals who are educated and trained to provide support, education and resource coordination to you and your family. The social workers may be able to help you with financial issues, such as accessing assistance through local, state and federal programs. They are able to help you and your family with the adjustment to your cancer diagnosis through ongoing support, counseling, and link to support groups.

Who else is part of my cancer treatment team?
Depending on the type of treatment recommended, your team may include physicians and medical experts in surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. In addition to the nurse navigator, social worker, insurance representative, and pharmacist involved in your pre-treatment consult (PTC), PeaceHealth Southwest’s Regional Cancer Center team includes:

• Oncology-certified nursing staff: Medical/infusion oncology certified (OCN), advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certified
   
• Researchers: Oncology and data management certified
   
• Radiation oncology and CyberKnife® staff: A collaborative effort across many specialties, including physicians, physicists, therapist, nurses, and dosimetrists

What happens once I go home?
At home, your cancer care continues. Some changes may be inevitable as you and your loved ones adjust to the physical and emotional effects of your treatment. For example, you may have changes in your appetite, or experience nausea, depression, weight loss or other changes. PeaceHealth Southwest’s registered dietitian in the Cancer Center can help find a nutrition plan that suits you and your family.

And there are support groups, chaplain services, and social workers. Your nurse navigator can help guide you every step of the way as you choose your path of survivorship. Throughout your journey with cancer, you are never alone.

Why should I consider PeaceHealth Southwest for cancer care?
PeaceHealth Southwest’s Regional Cancer Center is accredited as a Community Cancer Center by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. It is the only accredited Cancer Center serving Southwest Washington.

Only one in four hospitals that treat cancer are accredited by the Commission, and less than a third of accredited facilities receive the Commission’s top overall ranking. The perfect accreditation score places PeaceHealth Southwest’s Cancer Center among the top 10 percent of all cancer treatment programs nationwide.

PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center is the only cancer center in Clark County accredited by the American College of Surgeons (ACOS), with six commendations for exceeding accreditation standards in:

• Outcomes analysis and annual reporting
• Documentation around tumor staging
• Patient care guidelines
• Prevention and early detection outreach efforts
• Cancer Registration staff education
• Ongoing program improvement efforts

 In addition, PeaceHealth Southwest’s Radiation Oncology Department is accredited by the American College of Radiology. As the only radiation treatment center accredited in the State of Washington, it is one of only three accredited centers in the Washington, Oregon and Idaho region. We also have the only CyberKnife® radiosurgery center in the greater Vancouver/Portland metropolitan area.

 How can I find out more about PeaceHealth Southwest’s Regional Cancer Center?
The Cancer Center is located on the third floor of the north side of the Medical Center Physicians’ Building, 505 NE 87th Ave. (off Mill Plain Blvd.) in Vancouver. For more information, go to www.swmedicalcenter.org/cancercenter or call 360.514.2174.

Radiation Oncology is located in the stand-alone Cancer Center building on the PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center campus, off the 87th Ave. entrance from Mill Plain Blvd. in Vancouver. For more information, go to www.swmedicalcenter.org/cancercenter or call 360.514.1900.

About Dr. Marquez
Carol Marquez, MD, is a member of PeaceHealth Southwest’s CyberKnife® team in Radiation Oncology. Dr. Marquez also practices at OHSU Dept. of Radiation Medicine. She has been at OHSU for fifteen years and specializes in the treatment of breast cancer, brain tumors and pediatric tumors. Dr. Marquez trained at the University of California San Francisco, where she also completed medical school.

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

Published May 2008.

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