The Center for Minimally Invasive Oncology and Precision Medicine is a collaborative effort between surgeons, interventional radiologists, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists to create individualized treatment plans. Through advances in research, education, technological advancement and clinical skill we seek to embark on a new era of medicine in which doctors, researchers and patients work together to develop individualized care plans for each person’s specific needs.
What is minimally invasive oncology?
Innovative minimally invasive techniques are used to diagnose and treat many types of cancer including gastrointestinal, lung, brain, gynecologic, head & neck, liver, breast and prostate cancers.
What is precision medicine?
Treatment using precision medicine carefully examines the unique molecular signature or “personality” of your cancer in order to tailor treatments that activate your immune system and target the mutations that cause your cancer. Using this approach, we personalize the attack against your cancer with cutting-edge precision and it’s a less toxic approach to treating your cancer. Many of these treatments are also being studied in clinical trials.
What are the benefits of minimally invasive diagnostic and treatment techniques?
- Less pain – Studies indicate that patients undergoing less invasive diagnostics and treatment experience less pain and require fewer pain medicines.
- Short hospital stays – Many minimally invasive procedures require minimal or no hospital stays and can be performed on an outpatient basis. Of those requiring hospitalization, patients are able to return home faster and resume normal activity sooner.
- Less damage to normal tissue – Traditional procedures including biopsies, surgeries and radiation expose normal tissue to unnecessary damage. Minimally invasive approaches are targeted with less collateral damage.
- Higher accuracy – Through video-assisted, image-guidance and robotic methods, physicians are better able to target the specific area to be treated.
Minimally invasive treatment options are offered by:
- Radiation oncology
- Surgeons
- Interventional radiologists
- Medical oncologists
Examples of precision medicine include the following:
- Infusion therapy – Treatment is delivered through an IV, such as chemotherapy.
- Targeted therapy – Treatment that works based on a patient’s genetics.
- Immunotherapy – Treatment that activates a patient’s immune system to attack the mutations causing cancer.
- Oral cancer therapies – Treatment taken by mouth at home, making treatment more convenient and accessible.
