Medical Oncology

Medical oncology is the treatment of cancer and cancer-related conditions with medication and other specialized treatments.

Our team is highly-experienced in diagnosing and treating cancer with chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted agents. The medical oncology team can provide the following state-of-the-art treatment options:

Anti-Angiogenic Therapy

Anti-angiogenic therapy inhibits the growth of new blood vessels, which “feed” tumors and allow them to grow. Anti-angiogenic drugs disable the agents that activate and promote cell growth and directly block the growth of blood vessel cells. Because new blood vessel growth plays a critical role in many disease conditions, as well as cancer, angiogenesis inhibition is a powerful “common denominator” in treating these diseases.

Anti-EGFR Therapy

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a protein on the surface of cells, which assists growth and cell division. Some cancer cells have too much EGFR, leading to uncontrolled growth and metastatic spread. Therapies that inhibit this process hold promise for slowing or stopping the growth of some cancers.

Bone Marrow Biopsy

A bone marrow biopsy is the removal of soft tissue, called marrow, from inside bone. Bone marrow helps form blood cells. Your doctor may order this test if you have abnormal types or numbers of red or white blood cells or platelets on a complete blood count (CBC). This test is used to diagnose leukemia, infections, some types of anemia, and other blood disorders. It may also be used to help determine if a cancer has spread or responded to treatment.

Continuous and Pulse-Dose Chemotherapy

These are treatments that use drugs to kill cancer cells. Numerous drugs are available to treat different cancers. Your oncologist will determine the specific drug or combination of drugs that will best combat your cancer. Chemotherapy drugs can:

• decrease the size of tumors for easier and safer removal by surgery
• enhance the effectiveness of other treatments, such as radiation therapy
• in higher doses, overcome the resistance of cancer cells to treatment
• control the cancer and enhance the patient’s quality of life

Pulse dosing or pulse therapy is the administration of high doses of chemotherapy in intermittent intervals. This enhances the effect of the drugs and reduces side effects. Pulse dosing is usually given at weekly or monthly intervals.

Radio-immunotherapy (RIT)

A combination of radiation therapy and immunotherapy that employs a lab-produced molecule “programmed” to recognize and bind to cancer cells. Radioactive material is paired with the molecules, which are injected into the bloodstream, travel to the cancer cells and deliver a high dose of radiation directly to the tumor.

Targeted Immunotherapy

This therapy stimulates the body’s natural immune system to reject and destroy cancer cells. Targeted immunotherapy can slow or stop metastatic cancers, especially when combined with other treatment modalities such as radiation.

Targeted Molecular Therapy

Chemotherapy affects cells throughout the body and can harm healthy cells as well as cancer cells, but molecular therapy specifically targets cancer cells with minimal damage to normal cells. Molecular targeted therapies disrupt cell processes that lead to abnormal growth and the development of cancer.