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Cancer Care

WellSpan brings you world-class cancer care, right here in your corner of the world. Here, you have access to the latest advancements in diagnostics and treatments — including clinical trials — delivered with skill and compassion by experienced cancer specialists. From the moment you walk through our doors, you will be surrounded by a dedicated support team to guide you, comfort you and help you, every step of the way. This is cancer care that’s centered on you, right where you live.

From diagnosis and treatment, to recovery and survival, WellSpan leads in the care and encouragement of those who have cancer. Our specialists walk the cancer journey with each patient, delivering advanced therapies, providing the newest treatments, and offering compassionate support that makes a difference.

When you come to WellSpan for cancer care, you also benefit from our WellSpan Cancer Research Network, which enables us to transform care through advanced preventive strategies and treatments for cancer. Through clinical research, we have helped to pioneer diagnostic procedures, therapies and treatments for many different cancers. These partnerships allow us to offer our patients clinical trials that are often only available at academic medical centers.

Cancer Treatment Centered on You

WellSpan is known for having the most advanced adult cancer programs in the region in terms of quality of care, outcomes and patient safety. We make that care convenient by providing WellSpan Cancer Care at each of our nine hospitals, offering advanced and innovative treatments, close to your home.

Our cancer centers provide comprehensive diagnostic and treatment options for a wide range of cancers, including complex and rare conditions. For your convenience, we can make appointments that fit your schedule.

To learn more about the specialized care we offer in your community, choose a WellSpan Cancer Care location below:

Our Advanced Approach to Cancer Care

We’re proud of our reputation as one of the most advanced cancer programs in the region. Our cancer centers offer a wide range of treatment and care options, including:

Radiation: Focused doses of high-energy radiation can be effective in killing certain types of cancer cells and in relieving cancer symptoms, including pain, pressure and bleeding. The number of radiation treatments depends upon the type of cancer. At WellSpan, we provide specialized radiation treatment, including a linear accelerator for external radiation therapy, equipped with image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT); a high-dose radiation (HDR) unit for internal radiation therapy; and CyberKnife stereotactic radiosurgery for some brain, spine, lung, abdominal and pelvic tumors.

Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is the use of special drugs that kill cancer cells, control cancer cell growth or relieve symptoms. Chemotherapy can be given as a pill, applied to the skin, injected, or given as an infusion through an IV. Chemotherapy treatments can be made up of a single drug or combinations of drugs. Chemotherapy can be combined with other therapies such as surgery or radiation therapy.

Surgery: Some cancers are best treated with surgery to remove a tumor and surrounding tissue. At WellSpan, we offer innovative surgical options performed by distinguished specialists, including minimally invasive procedures for shorter hospital stays and highly precise robot-assisted surgery. Our physicians are utilizing the latest pain management techniques and minimally invasive procedures whenever possible to assist patients in their recovery from surgery.

Targeted Therapy (Precision Medicine): Targeted therapies are designed to target specific molecules or cancer-causing genes in cancer cells. These medications are most often given as a pill or an infusion through an IV. Special blood tests or tests on cancer cells may have to be performed to identify the target for therapy.

Immunotherapy: Medications that use the body’s own natural defenses to fight cancer are called immunotherapy. Immunotherapy may be targeted to a specific mechanism of the immune system or may work to stimulate the immune system. These medications are usually given as an injection or infusion through an IV.

Personalized Care and Specialty Support

At WellSpan, we not only focus on fighting your cancer with science and medicine, but supporting you, mind, body and spirit, during your cancer journey. We offer personalized support that can help you better manage the challenges cancer poses to your health, emotional well-being, finances and more.

Specialty support services differ at our nine cancer centers, but can include:

  • Psychosocial support services to help patients and their families deal with the emotional aspects of a cancer diagnosis. Our team includes board-certified psychosocial psychiatrists, social workers, and advanced practice registered nurses who are specially trained to provide support before, during and after treatment.
  • Infusion centers that offer comfortable and therapeutic environments for receiving outpatient therapy. We attempt to make your experience as peaceful as possible.
  • Nurse navigators to guide you throughout your care, scheduling and coordinating appointments, helping with questions about diagnosis and treatment, and serving as a consistent, supportive resource.
  • Specialized oncology pharmacy services to fill prescriptions for supportive and specialty medications for cancer patients. Most locations have a retail pharmacy.
  • Clinical dietitians to provide counseling, recommendations and education about how appropriate nutrition can promote quality of life, minimize complications, and decrease the side effects of cancer and its treatment.
  • Specialized therapies that include physical, occupational, speech and lymphedema therapy.
  • Genetic Counselors who can help you understand your risk for developing cancer, what you can do to lower the risk, and what you can do to increase the chance of early detection.
  • Survivorship services that include scheduling follow-up visits and tests, providing information about preventive measures to stay healthy, and referrals to specialty services to address late effects of treatment.
  • Self-image enhancement, which includes providing bras and prosthetics for breast cancer patients, as well as wigs and wig care at some locations.
  • Integrative therapies that work with your cancer treatment to reduce side effects and help you feel better. These include aromatherapy, guided imagery, healing touch, massage, yoga and tai chi.

Specialty well-being and personal support services are geared toward improving your mental, physical and spiritual well-being while undergoing cancer treatment. These services include:

  • Financial counseling or advocacy to help identify financial assistance resources, find specialized pharmaceutical programs to assist with drug costs, and determine eligibility for federal or state medical assistance programs.
  • Social workers who provide emotional support, guidance and counseling for patients and caregivers, referrals for appropriate services, and case management or interventions designed to promote health, prevent disease, and address barriers to access to healthcare.
  • Ecumenical pastoral care services to support individualized spiritual needs and offer sacramental practices, rituals and prayers.
  • Support groups and education programs that provide support for patients and families affected by cancer.
  • Advance care planning, which offers the opportunity to outline your specific wishes regarding care.

Focused on Quality

Three WellSpan hospitals ranked among their state’s top hospitals in the 2020-21 U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings. WellSpan hospitals also earned high performing rankings in several adult procedures and conditions, including cancer surgery. Learn more.

We are also proud of the many quality achievements our cancer programs have earned, which include:

  • American College of Radiology accreditation for radiation oncology
  • American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer accreditation
  • National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers accreditation
  • Quality Oncology Practice Initiative accreditation
  • American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet and Pathways to Excellence designations

To see the list of achievements and accreditation specific to each hospital and cancer center, visit our individual Cancer Care location pages.

 

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