Treatment Overview

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Cancer care specialists at Merit Health Central provide a range of treatment options that are tailored to meet each patient's individual needs. Doctors plan treatment by consulting with surgeons, chemotherapy and radiation specialists to develop the most effective approach. In most cases, several approaches are combined to provide treatment.

Part of Merit Health Central's care program includes special support services to address the unique needs of cancer patients and their families. The multidisciplinary team includes primary care doctors, oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgeons, nurses, pain management specialists, dietitians and other professionals who work together to provide individualized care.

Treatment options include:

• Hormone therapy
  Hormones can kill cancer cells, or slow or stop their growth. Doctors can prescribe medications that affect the activity or production of hormones, or may surgically remove a gland that produces hormones.
• Radiation therapy
  Radiation oncologists target radiation to destroy cancer cells and minimize damage to healthy, surrounding tissue. Doctors utilize a range of techniques to fit the needs of each patient, including:
  • Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) - utilizes computer technology to create a 3-D image of the tumor so radiation beams can be focused precisely on the treatment area.
  • Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) - IMRT further refines 3D-CRT capability by allowing the radiologist to customize the dose of radiation to the size and shape of the tumor, and restrict exposure to healthy tissue. This method is used to treat tumors that are close to vital organs or structures, such as the spinal cord, brain or liver.
  • Brachytherapy - Small catheters (thin, flexible tubes) are used to administer high doses of radioactive sources directly into cancerous tissue. Brachytherapy can deliver a higher total dose of radiation over a shorter period of time than external-beam techniques. This method is often used to treat prostate, breast, cervical and lung cancer.
  • Gamma Knife radiosurgery - Also known as stereotactic radiosurgery, this non-invasive technique uses focused beams of radiation to treat cancerous tissues without a surgical opening. It is called "surgery" because it offers a similar result to actual surgery.
  • Other non-invasive treatment procedures include radioactive implants, such as palladium seed implants, for the treatment of prostate cancer.