Gaining control when diagnosed with lung cancer

By Dr. Alan Brown

A lung cancer diagnosis brings a range of emotions and questions. It can feel overwhelming.

At Advocate Radiation Oncology, we recognize that coping with cancer is a journey, and it’s important that you know we are walking alongside you. In fact, one of the first steps we take together is giving our patients some power over the situation, and that starts with education – for both patient and provider.
First, we get to know you, not just your diagnosis. Lung cancer patients may be referred to our office in the very early stages to shrink the tumor before surgery, after surgery to destroy any cancer cells that remain, or to treat lung cancer that has spread to other areas of the body to ease symptoms of the disease. Becoming educated on your history is a priority. Advocate Radiation Oncology focuses on treating the individual, and that means we understand our patients so that we can create a comprehensive, customized treatment plan.

In getting to know you, it’s also important that patients and families learn about our team. We are proud to have world-class physicians on our staff who provide innovative and compassionate care with a patient-centered approach. Many of our board-certified physicians have trained and worked at the nation’s most prestigious institutions and bring decades of experience and passion to your care team as well as to the greater cancer community.

Establishing an individualized cancer treatment plan is one of the best ways we can help patients regain control. Our treatments are guided by the most up-to-date data, most appropriate evidence-based cancer care, and the very latest technologies available in the fight against lung cancer or other cancers.
Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in both men and women. It’s also the leading cause of cancer death, accounting for about one in four deaths, according to the American Cancer Society.

These statistics are difficult to hear. That’s why it’s especially important to ensure patients have access to the most sophisticated, advanced technology on the market.

Patients should understand that with radiation oncology, precision is critically important. The key is destroying tumors without damaging surrounding tissue.

Our practice has made substantial investments in equipment to treat lung and other cancers, including these three state-of-the-art Varian machines:

• Halcyon: Using image-guided radiotherapy, the Halcyon’s intelligent automation provides for faster treatment times. Patients find that the smooth motions and soft, ambient lighting helps them stay relaxed and comfortable during their treatments.

• TrueBeam: The Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy, or IMRT, linear accelerator targets and destroys tumor cells in the body using external-beam radiation.

• Identify: A comprehensive administrative technology system, Identify uses patient biometrics at every stage of the treatment process to ensure safe and accurate care. Identify is integrated across all machinery and devices within the practice, streamlining communication between the radiation therapists, machines and patients.

With our patient-first approach and individualized treatment plans, combined with the very latest technologies, Advocate Radiation Oncology is helping our patients gain some control over their illness.

About the Author
Dr. Alan Brown is a board-certified radiation oncologist at Advocate Radiation Oncology, a locally owned and operated practice with offices in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Port Charlotte, Bonita Springs and Tamarac. For more information, please visit AdvocateRO.com.