Cancer Care
You’re made for more hope and healing
Our person-centered philosophy means we are transparent and honest with our patients and their families. We believe collaboration, evidence and information are the foundation of patients and their family making decisions that are right for their unique condition, desires and needs.
Expertise, treatment and technology combined with compassion and a whole-person approach to care are vital to treating cancer and returning to health and joyful living. Depending on a patient’s specific type, location and stage of cancer, our treatments may include:
Immunotherapy/biotherapy
Bolstering the body’s immune system to better fight off invading cancer cells can help to slow or even stop the growth of cancer cells and prevent cancer from spreading to other parts of the body. Treatment may involve taking monoclonal antibodies, cancer vaccines or another nonspecific form of immunotherapy.
Targeted therapies
One of the most challenging aspects of cancer treatment is that it’s difficult for medications such as chemotherapy to distinguish between healthy cells and cancer cells. Targeted therapy uses customized drugs that target specific molecular parameters to go straight for the diseased cells while leaving the healthy ones alone.
Surgery
Removing the diseased portion of the body before cancer cells spread to other sections is typically conducted along with other methods to ensure the complete destruction of all remaining cancer cells. Surgery may also be used to determine the current state and progress of the disease.
Radiation therapy
High-energy radiation can be used to target cancer cells while sparing normal tissue. At Celilo breast cancer patients may benefit from a form of radiation called brachytherapy, which dramatically shortens the radiation therapy process from a typical four weeks to only one week.
Clinical trials
Some patients benefit from enrolling in clinical trials that will shape cancer care for years to come. Patients are screened throughout their treatment and referred for clinical trials for which they may be eligible. Patients may also request to be screened for available clinical trials.
By volunteering to enroll in clinical trials, people help others by contributing to the advancement of medical research, gain access to new treatments and research, and play an active role in their own healthcare. Learn more about clinical trials:
Speech-language therapy
Cancer of the head and neck may make it difficult for the patient to speak or even swallow without difficulty. Our speech-language pathologists (SLPs) train patients on techniques to improve speech and restore function to the throat.
Provider Spotlight
Meet Dr. Stelzer, our board certified radiation oncologist
Dr. Stelzer is a leading expert in the application of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), the technology used at Celilo Cancer Center that shapes radiation beams more precisely to spare surrounding tissue.
