Oncology

The earlier cancer is diagnosed, the greater the chances for recovery. One of the most effective ways to accomplish this is to schedule check-ups and appropriate cancer screenings. During these consultations, ask your doctor about any potential risks, which could be based on age, medical history, lifestyle and family history.

Some of the most common ways to detect cancer include:

• Biopsy
• Diagnostic medical imaging
• Digital mammography
• Laboratory testing
• Physician and self-exams
• Surgery

We offer extensive cancer treatment options. Our expert cancer doctors and clinical team treat your cancer with a personalized approach, utilizing as many treatments as possible to help you get back to everyday life.

We are the only facility in Idaho accredited by the American College of Radiology for our exemplary standards of quality and safety in radiation oncology.

Our cancer specialists work to provide you with the most effective and comfortable care options possible. We explore all possible courses of treatment to make sure your diagnosis is cared for with the best available technology and techniques.

Our cancer services include:

• Genetic counseling
• High-dose-rate brachytherapy
• Infusion services, including chemotherapy
• Interventional radiology
• Medical oncology
• Nutrition and exercise care
• Radiation oncology
• Surgical care

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a medication used to treat cancer. The main goals of chemotherapy are to cure cancer, keep it from spreading, slow its growth and relieve cancer symptoms. Chemotherapy treatment takes many forms, including:

• Central venous catheters
• Implanted ports in the chest
• Intramuscular (muscle)
• Intrathecal (spine) injections
• Intravenously through an IV
• Oral medication

Your doctor may suggest more than one chemotherapy drug because some medications work better together. Your chemotherapy dosage schedule may last from a few weeks to up to a year. This varying frequency allows for rest cycles following treatments, to give your body time to build healthy new cells and regain strength.

High dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy

Brachytherapy is a localized internal radiation therapy in which radioactive seeds, ribbons or capsules are placed in your body, in or near a cancerous tumor. We are the only facility in Southeast Idaho, Western Wyoming and Southern Montana offering advanced HDR brachytherapy.

While low-dose rate (LDR) brachytherapy is widely performed in our region, HDR brachytherapy provides a more precise treatment in only a few minutes, sparing healthy tissue from unnecessary radiation exposure. LDR carries a six-month postoperative radioactive period, while HDR has no postoperative radioactivity. In addition, HDR brachytherapy can be beneficial for prostate, breast, lung, cervical, uterine, skin and oral cancers.

Some other benefits of HDR brachytherapy may include:

• Future radiation exposure elimination
• Greater precision, including dose size and position
• Shorter treatment times, as low as three to 10 treatments

Minimally invasive radioembolization therapy for liver tumors

We are proud to be one of only a few hospitals in the nation to offer some of the most advanced minimally invasive procedures for liver cancer.

During radioembolization therapy, a catheter is inserted into the liver near the tumor, through an artery in the groin. Up to 80 million microscopic radioactive beads are then released, each one about the size of four red blood cells.

As tumor cells are hungrier than other cells, reliably "consuming" 15 times more beads than any other tissue, the heavy dose of radiation attacks cancer and suppresses it for a period of time.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy uses beams of intense energy to kill cancer cells. Using an advanced image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) system, we can treat cancer with increased speed and accuracy, while protecting healthy tissues and organs.

Benefits of IGRT radiation therapy include:

• Treatment times that last just a few minutes
• Increased sub-millimeter precision for beam treatments
• Respiratory gating, so your physician can sync radiation beams with your chest breathing movements
• Open interaction between you and the clinicians at all times

Surgical oncology is the surgical removal of cancer or tumors. Surgery for cancer is often the first treatment used, or it may be recommended after chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

While the removal of tumors is typically the primary objective, surgery may also be used for cancer diagnosis, including location determination, preventive removal of potentially hazardous tissues and reconstructive purposes.

When surgery is determined as the proper course of treatment, our surgical oncologists will discuss your diagnosis and available treatment options to determine what is best for you. Some factors discussed will include your current fitness level, preexisting medical conditions and the tumor's type, stage, size and location.

Our surgical oncologists will work with the other team members to take a multidisciplinary approach to anticipate and manage any potential side effects, including pain. As such, it is crucial to be vocal with your oncology team about any pain that arises so that they may prescribe appropriate pain-relieving medications as needed.