Cancer care, radiation therapy, support group, SAVI in Memphis, Tennessee and the Mid South

Added Mon Jul 11 15:18:00 CDT 2011

Cancer Center

Methodist Healthcare in Memphis, Tennessee, uses a multidisciplinary team of oncologists, radiation therapists, nurses and other healthcare professionals to meet the physical, emotional, spiritual and social challenges that come with a diagnosis of cancer and its subsequent treatment. Committed to providing the best cancer care available in the Memphis, Tenn., region and beyond, Methodist Healthcare offers state-of-the-art treatments and services, including:

Methodist Healthcare also offers numerous cancer support groups to patients and their families.

Cancer Program History

Through membership in the national cooperative research group Cancer and Leukemia Group B, and as the site of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center's surgical and medical oncology training program, we have access to numerous developing therapies including Gamma Knife and Radiation Therapy. Both provide the center an opportunity to become a major contributor to world-renowned oncology research.

The center holds several accreditations, including: the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons, Foundation for the Accreditiation of Cellular Therapy and National Marrow Donor Program, American College of Radiology, Stereotactic Guided Biopsy and the Federal Drug Administration. All of these ensure that stringent requirements are followed in all aspects of cancer care.

Radiation Therapy

Gamma Knife: Offered at the Memphis Regional Gamma Knife Center, Gamma Knife therapy is virtually painless, does not require an incision and eliminates the usual risks of surgery and anesthesia.

Radiation Oncology Center: The Radiation Oncology Center in Germantown, Tennessee, treats more than 10,000 patient visits per year. Patients can expect state-of-the-art treatments from a staff made up of highly trained radiation oncologists, radiation therapists and nurses.

Breast Brachytherapy (SAVI): Methodist University Hospital is the first cancer facility in Memphis to offer the SAVI™ applicator, an advanced therapy for breast cancer as part of breast-conservation therapy.

Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy: SBRT is used to treat both benign and cancerous tumors in the spine, lungs and liver.

Radiation Plaque Brachytherapy: Methodist University Hospital, in collaboration with the University of Tennessee Hamilton Eye Institute, offers eye plaque radiation therapy to treat choroidal melanoma, a rare cancer that affects approximately 6 in 1,000,000 people annually in the United States.

Breast Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis

Methodist Healthcare offers the latest in breast cancer treatment and diagnosis, including mammography services such as:

  • Screening mammography: Screening mammograms are for patients who have no breast symptoms and no abnormality on physical examination. The screening mammogram is used to detect breast cancer in a patient when finding breast cancer is a completely unexpected finding.
  • Diagnostic mammography: Diagnostic mammograms are for patients with any significant finding during a physician examination, breast pain, previous mastectomy for malignancy or follow-up for previous abnormality or work-up of an abnormal finding on a screening.

At the Methodist Breast Center in Germantown, we offer:

  • Three private screening rooms
  • Five diagnostic suites
  • Two ultrasound labs
  • Stereotactic suite for minimally invasive breast biopsies
  • Bone density testing center
  • Computer Aided Detection (CAD) studio for secondary mammography readings
  • Two comfortable and spacious waiting areas: one for screening and one for diagnostics

University of Tennessee Blood and Marrow Transplant Center

Services provided at the University of Tennessee Blood and Marrow Transplant Center include:

  • Autologous blood stem cell or marrow transplantation
  • Allogeneic blood stem cell or marrow transplantation
  • Unrelated donor search and transplantation (for selected cases)
  • Autologous blood stem cell storage for high-risk malignancies in first remission, prior to pelvic radiation, or prior to radioimmunothearpy\
  • Second opinion consultation for transplantation therapies
  • Management of chronic GVHD

Support Groups for Patients and Families

The Methodist Healthcare Cancer Center is proud to be involved with several cancer support groups, including Memphis Regional Brain Tumor Support Group. Visit one of our cancer information centers or download a brochure on Methodist Healthcare’s cancer support services.

Cancer Center News

Breast Cancer Treatment Twittercast
In March 2010, Methodist Healthcare hosted a series of Twittercasts which included tweets and videos focusing on women’s health services provided by Methodist Healthcare. The Twittercast featured SAVI, the latest advancement in partial breast radiation for breast cancer treatment. Participating physicians included radiation oncologist Michael Farmer, MD, and breast surgical oncologist Michael Barry, MD.

Quilting A Journey Through Cancer
Read about one woman’s journey of quilting while being treated for breast cancer at Methodist Healthcare’s Breast Center.