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Cancer Treatments at Beebe

Beebe's Oncology Services team considers many factors when working with patients to develop individualized treatment plans. It may include more than one type of treatment, depending on the type of cancer, its stage, your medical history, and the effectiveness of the initial treatment. Also, keep in mind that the goals of cancer treatments vary and may include curative, to prolong life, to reduce unwanted symptoms or effects of the cancer, and to improve your quality of life.

Read to learn more about cancer treatment options at Beebe, or contact our oncology department at 302-645-3770.


Surgical Treatment of Cancer

Surgery is a common method of treating certain kinds of cancer, and it is considered a local treatment in the sense that it focuses on a specific part of the body. The doctor operates to remove the tumor and nearby tissue that may or may not contain cancer cells.

Procedures vary based on the type of cancer. For example, surgical options for breast cancer can include lumpectomy, mastectomy, or breast reconstruction.

Surgical oncology fellowship trained surgeons at Beebe Healthcare perform surgery to remove tumors. Surgeons work closely with other physicians involved in a patient's care to help ensure the best possible outcome. Beebe offers a specialized cancer treatment, Cytoreductive Surgery (CS) and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC). This treatment is used when cancer has advanced to the abdomen.

Beebe is one of the only hospitals in the region to offer this advanced heated chemotherapy for certain cancers.


Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is the local treatment of cancer using high-energy X-rays or radioactive particles. Radiation therapy targets specific tumors with an exact amount of radiation. It is possible that some normal cells surrounding the tumor may receive some radiation but, unlike cancer cells, most of them recover from the effects of radiation.

Radiation therapy is often used for treating breast cancer, prostate cancer, lymphoma, lung cancer, and others. It is also often used with other types of treatment, such as surgery or chemotherapy.


Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to destroy cancer cells. These drugs destroy cancer cells by stopping them from growing or multiplying. Healthy cells can be damaged, especially those that divide quickly. It is harm to healthy cells that causes side effects, but these cells usually repair themselves after chemotherapy.


Clinical Trials

A clinical trial, or protocol, is a carefully controlled study to answer specific questions about a potentially new type of treatment or to study new ways of using an existing treatment. The purpose of a clinical trial is to determine whether a treatment is safe in humans and effective in treating a particular disease or condition. This includes looking at the benefits as well as the potential risks of the treatment. Generally, clinical trials compare the standard treatment with a potential new treatment option. Your doctor can help you determine if a clinical trial is right for you.


Biologic Response Modifier (BMR) Therapy

Biologic response modifier (BMR) therapy is a treatment used to stimulate or restore the ability of the immune system to fight infection and disease, and to lessen side effects that may be caused by some cancer treatments. BMR therapy is also called immunotherapy or biotherapy.


Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplants

Bone marrow and stem cell transplants are given mostly for cancers of the blood and lymph system (leukemia and lymphoma) and some solid tumors (breast and ovarian). If your doctor feels you are a candidate for a transplant, we will refer you to a treatment center.


Hormone Therapy

Hormone therapy is used to block cancer cells from getting the hormones they need in order to grow. Your doctor will discuss this therapy if it is right for you.

Cancer & Tumor Registry

The Delaware Cancer Registry is a cancer information center that collects data about new cancer cases, cancer treatment, and cancer deaths for the entire state of Delaware. The Registry data offers numerous benefits, including the monitoring of trends, promoting scientific research to increase survival, educating the public, providing information for policy planning in cancer prevention and control, plus sharing and comparing cancer data with other states and the Performance Improvement National Cancer Center Data Base. The national organization collects information nationwide to monitor cancer trends, plan cancer prevention and control programs, and help set priorities for allocating health resources and advance medical research.

The Beebe Healthcare Tumor Registry is the cornerstone of an Approved Cancer Program that is recognized by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. It collects data on cancer incidence, type, stage at diagnosis, treatment, and survival, and submits the data to the Delaware Central Registry and to the National Cancer Center Data Base. The Beebe Healthcare Tumor Registry has a follow-up rate of 98.2 percent of Tunnell Cancer Center patients. The standard for the Commission on Cancer is 90 percent.