|
Nutrition
Malnutrition is the most common secondary diagnosis in cancer patients,
resulting from the disease process, or often, the treatment. Maintaining a patient's nutritional status has
been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality of the cancer patient and to improve the outcome of treatment.
A physician nutritionist from the Department of Medicine is the director of The Cancer Center's nutrition
service. Hospital dietitions provide consultations for inpatients, and the physician performs a comprehensive
assessment that includes a nuritional history, drug-nutrient interactions, physical exam, and interpretation of
nutritional indices. Patients with evidence of malnutrition receive early intervention which may include oral
supplements, enteral or parenteral nutrition.
Oncological Rehabilitation
The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation treats cancer patients
on both an inpatient and outpatient basis. The goal of rehabilitation is to improve the quality of life for patient
with neuromuscular impairment, vascular compromise, or general deconditioning. Therapies include:
- Intermittent compression for venous and lymphatic outflow
- Range of motion exercises
- Activities of Daily Living (ADL) exercises
- Bracing and prosthetic fitting
- Speech therapy for patient undergoing laryngeal surgery
- Pain control with transcutaneous electrical stimulation
Social Services
The Department of Social Work screens all cancer patients for psychosocial
and discharge planning needs. The staff provides:
- Placement in extended care facilities
- Help in the home for personal care
- Counseling in regard to the crisis of hospitalization
- Information about, and referral to, community agencies
Support Groups
Among the support programs available are the following:
- The Cancer Support Group- for all patients, meets twice weekly
- The Breast Cancer Support Group- a five week overview of the diagnostic anbd treatment process
- Look Good, Feel Better- a single evening session six times a year for women undergoing chemotherapy
- Coping at Home- a program to teach primary care givers the skills they need (adopted nationally by the American Cancer Society)
Research
Because the effective treatment of cancer is a constantly evolving process,
The Cancer Center conducts clinical and basic research as a means of advancing dya-to-day practice.
Clinical Research
- Research studies from review of The Cancer Center's treatment experience
- Contribution to national studies as an affiliate of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group
- Development of new and improved treatment methods in brachytherapy
Basic Research
The Frank Randazzo Jr. Cell Biology Laboratory was established in
1993 to conduct cellular and molecular research. The lab has two purposes: to study the fundamental differences
in radiobiological responses between normal cells and cancer cells; to understand the mechanisms of cellular
response to external beam radiation and brachytherapy. Lab studies include:
- Kinetics of repair of X-ray damage in mammalian cells
- Correlation of prostate specific antigen (PSA) and acid phosphatase and levels of cell killing by X-ray
- Differential repair of X-ray damage in euoxic and hypoxic mammalian cells; potential for hypoxic radiosensitizers
| 
