Download Cancer Care Center Annual Report - St. Anthony's ...

A message from leadershipSt. Anthony’s Medical Center became an accredited communitycancer program in 2010 from the Commission on Cancer of theAmerican College of Surgeons. We area now eagerly approachingour first re-certification visit in August 2013. This will allow us toshowcase the quality community cancer care we offer at St. Anthony’sCancer Care Center.Cancer care at St. Anthony’s involves multiple specialties. Thisis a true team approach from all aspects. This involves not onlysurgery, medical oncology, and radiation oncology; but many otherspecialized disciplines of medicine. The spotlight cancer this yearchosen by the Cancer Committee was colorectal cancer and involvedthe goal/use of preoperative staging of rectal cancer with rectalMRI. This is a new technology to allow for appropriate patients toreceive preoperative chemotherapy with radiation to allow for betteroutcomes. This required the radiologist to work with the surgeons toevaluate the appropriate patients and to introduce a new standard inthe preoperative work up. We also worked with pathology and surgeryto make sure that an appropriate number of lymph nodes wereremoved in colorectal cancer patients. This allows the team to provideappropriate post operative treatment and follow up and thereforebetter care.Comprehensive cancer care also involves the cancer registry thatcollects data on all patients to track outcomes. Since our accreditation,abstracting of all cancer patients has remained timely and accurate.Another benefit of an accredited cancer center involves accessto clinical trial specialists that offer patients access to the newesttreatment options close to home, as well as outreach programs thatoffer frequent health screenings and community education. Wealso provide palliative care services and both inpatient and homehospice. This is uncommon in a community cancer program andsomething that we are distinctly proud of. All these services allowpatients first class cancer care in a comfortable community setting.The accreditation also allows St. Anthony’s to compare our outcomesto other accredited facilities. We strive to provide improved survivaland quality of life and confirm this with comparing ourselves to otherfacilities of the same size.St. Anthony’s provides excellent care in a convenient, communitysetting. With this I am proud to present the annual reportspotlighting colorectal cancer.Sarah Beth Snell, M.D.Sarah Beth Snell M.D., FACSChairman, Cancer Committee314-525-15455