The Tripod of Cancer Care [Video]

We’ve made great strides in our cancer treatments in recent years. “The treatments are much more effective now. We have several lines of therapy in general to offer to patients for most cancer diagnosis, and people generally do better. It’s not the same,” said Oncologist Dr. Monika Arya.

The Lee Health Cancer Institute offers a multidisciplinary approach to treatment. “Cancer is treated by a tripod in cancer care. The tripod being three branches, that is, radiation oncology, surgery, and medical oncology,” said Dr. Arya.

Oncologists like Dr. Arya are typically the first doctors’ patients see. “Typically the diagnosis is made and patients come to medical oncology. We decide on the final stage and eventually send the referrals to whoever needs to be involved in that care…Medical oncologists are the ones that provide chemotherapy, or immunotherapy, or hormone therapy to take care of cancers.”

If caught early before the cancer has spread, patients may get referred to surgery, which can be curative. “The surgeons are involved in the care of cancers, in which there is role for surgical removal of cancers,” said Dr. Arya. If the cancer has spread, radiation oncologists may get involved. “If it’s a kind of cancer that has spread outside the primary site, generally chemotherapy needs to come in. But if it’s localized to a site or two, then radiation is the one that plays an important role.”

Patients also have a helping hand in the form of social workers and nurse navigators. “We have oncology nurse navigators specific for each diagnosis that help the patient navigate through the system between various specialties in a timely fashion,” said Dr. Arya. Providing individualized support and treatment for every kind of cancer. You can learn more on leehealth.org/cancer.

View More Health Matters video segments at youtube.com/leehealth

Lee Health in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of health care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For more than 100 years, we’ve been providing our community with personalized preventative health services and primary care to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

Visit LeeHealth.org