Page 29 - Inspire Health July/August 2016
P. 29
“It eases people’s anxiety,” said well-informed of all the options of BREAST
Nimisha Deb, MD, St. Luke’s chief of what is best for them … that requires TRCIAANL CGEIVRES
radiation oncology and also part of the a discussion, and the patient needs to
breast cancer program. “With a cancer understand the pros and cons of their St. Luke’s University Health
diagnosis, no one expects it’s going to particular case.” Network is one of two sites in
be them ... we work with the patients at Pennsylvania to host a clinical trial
a time when they’re really stressed and Another benefit of having a team for a new immunotherapy breast
they want to move forward.” coordinate care is that treatment isn’t cancer treatment.
delayed as paperwork goes from office
According to the National Cancer to office. To be eligible for the trial, a breast
Institute, American women have a one in cancer patient must be diagnosed
eight chance of developing breast cancer. “We talk to each other frequently,” with metastatic or locally advanced,
Easy access to a comprehensive care said St. Luke’s medical oncologist Hikaru histologically-documented Triple-
plan can streamline and expedite the Nakajima, MD. “Communication is very Negative Breast Cancer. That cancer
care a patient will need. good and we work as one team to treat is a more difficult to treat form of
the individual patient ... We streamlined breast cancer because the patient has
“EACH PATIENT the appointment setting and go through tested negative for three main genetic
HAS UNIQUE NEEDS everything. There’s not much delay in receptors. The patient also must not
AND WE COME UP moving forward with the next step.” have undergone chemotherapy or
targeted systemic therapy.
WITH A PLAN TO Patients can also get any questions
PERSONALIZE answered through a recent addition to St. Luke’s medical oncologist Hikaru
THEIR CARE.” St. Luke’s website, online chat and the Nakajima, MD, said about 10 percent
Hope Line, 484-503-HOPE. of all breast cancer is considered triple-
— TRICIA A. KELLY, MD negative. What the trial is studying is
“You get connected to somebody,” how effective a drug treatment is that
Riley said. “We don’t want to have works with the body’s own immune
someone sitting on hold. Our patient system to attack cancer cells.
navigators can get answers from the
doctors for patient questions.” “We are very excited about this
study because it’s very promising,”
“It started out that the surgeon Dr. Lee B. Riley, Dr. Nimisha Deb, Nakajima said.
was the captain of the ship,” St. St. Luke’s Network St. Luke’s Chief
Luke’s surgical oncologist Lee B. Riley, Chairman of Oncology of Radiation Oncology Immunotherapy is on the cutting
MD, PhD said. “You can’t start with edge of cancer treatments. The benefits
surgery without talking to the medical Dr. Tricia A. Kelly, Dr. Hikaru Nakajima, of such treatment is they tend to be
oncologist first” and also a plastic St. Luke’s St. Luke’s medical better tolerated by patients, often with
surgeon, a pathologist and other breast surgeon oncologist fewer side effects, than more traditional
medical professionals. treatment like chemotherapy.
Courtesy of St. Luke’s University Health Network
“I think our patients come in with St. Luke’s surgical oncologist Lee B.
more questions than any other cancer,” Riley, MD, said the new trial combines
he said. The team approach took root using immunotherapy along with
about a decade ago when St. Luke’s traditional treatments. The patient’s
opted to dedicate a team to focus on immune system ramps up and goes
nothing but breast cancer. after the cancer.
“We really pushed for specialization “Your immune system is more likely
for the other disciplines and we’ve done to attack the cancer,” he said, adding
a very good job and that makes us the trial hopes to find if the treatments
unique,” Riley said. work with all types of cancer.
Deb said that in the years she has
been practicing, she has seen a lot of
changes in the treatment of breast
cancer and the team approach helps in
making the treatment decisions, including
if the patient is a good candidate for a
clinical trial.
“I think we work well together as
a team,” she said. “The patients are
JULY | AUGUST 2016 INSPIRE HEALTH 29
Nimisha Deb, MD, St. Luke’s chief of what is best for them … that requires TRCIAANL CGEIVRES
radiation oncology and also part of the a discussion, and the patient needs to
breast cancer program. “With a cancer understand the pros and cons of their St. Luke’s University Health
diagnosis, no one expects it’s going to particular case.” Network is one of two sites in
be them ... we work with the patients at Pennsylvania to host a clinical trial
a time when they’re really stressed and Another benefit of having a team for a new immunotherapy breast
they want to move forward.” coordinate care is that treatment isn’t cancer treatment.
delayed as paperwork goes from office
According to the National Cancer to office. To be eligible for the trial, a breast
Institute, American women have a one in cancer patient must be diagnosed
eight chance of developing breast cancer. “We talk to each other frequently,” with metastatic or locally advanced,
Easy access to a comprehensive care said St. Luke’s medical oncologist Hikaru histologically-documented Triple-
plan can streamline and expedite the Nakajima, MD. “Communication is very Negative Breast Cancer. That cancer
care a patient will need. good and we work as one team to treat is a more difficult to treat form of
the individual patient ... We streamlined breast cancer because the patient has
“EACH PATIENT the appointment setting and go through tested negative for three main genetic
HAS UNIQUE NEEDS everything. There’s not much delay in receptors. The patient also must not
AND WE COME UP moving forward with the next step.” have undergone chemotherapy or
targeted systemic therapy.
WITH A PLAN TO Patients can also get any questions
PERSONALIZE answered through a recent addition to St. Luke’s medical oncologist Hikaru
THEIR CARE.” St. Luke’s website, online chat and the Nakajima, MD, said about 10 percent
Hope Line, 484-503-HOPE. of all breast cancer is considered triple-
— TRICIA A. KELLY, MD negative. What the trial is studying is
“You get connected to somebody,” how effective a drug treatment is that
Riley said. “We don’t want to have works with the body’s own immune
someone sitting on hold. Our patient system to attack cancer cells.
navigators can get answers from the
doctors for patient questions.” “We are very excited about this
study because it’s very promising,”
“It started out that the surgeon Dr. Lee B. Riley, Dr. Nimisha Deb, Nakajima said.
was the captain of the ship,” St. St. Luke’s Network St. Luke’s Chief
Luke’s surgical oncologist Lee B. Riley, Chairman of Oncology of Radiation Oncology Immunotherapy is on the cutting
MD, PhD said. “You can’t start with edge of cancer treatments. The benefits
surgery without talking to the medical Dr. Tricia A. Kelly, Dr. Hikaru Nakajima, of such treatment is they tend to be
oncologist first” and also a plastic St. Luke’s St. Luke’s medical better tolerated by patients, often with
surgeon, a pathologist and other breast surgeon oncologist fewer side effects, than more traditional
medical professionals. treatment like chemotherapy.
Courtesy of St. Luke’s University Health Network
“I think our patients come in with St. Luke’s surgical oncologist Lee B.
more questions than any other cancer,” Riley, MD, said the new trial combines
he said. The team approach took root using immunotherapy along with
about a decade ago when St. Luke’s traditional treatments. The patient’s
opted to dedicate a team to focus on immune system ramps up and goes
nothing but breast cancer. after the cancer.
“We really pushed for specialization “Your immune system is more likely
for the other disciplines and we’ve done to attack the cancer,” he said, adding
a very good job and that makes us the trial hopes to find if the treatments
unique,” Riley said. work with all types of cancer.
Deb said that in the years she has
been practicing, she has seen a lot of
changes in the treatment of breast
cancer and the team approach helps in
making the treatment decisions, including
if the patient is a good candidate for a
clinical trial.
“I think we work well together as
a team,” she said. “The patients are
JULY | AUGUST 2016 INSPIRE HEALTH 29
