Love = Prevention

With cupid out and about this month, we couldn’t help but think about our fondness for our patients and their families.  And what better way to do that this month than to share cancer prevention articles and tips in celebration of National Cancer Prevention Month.

 One article from the American Cancer Society provides some everyday steps to help lower your cancer risk. Another good resource from the American Institute for Cancer Research gives three simple guidelines for cancer prevention.

 Equally important for prevention is early detection and scheduling appropriate cancer screenings, particularly mammograms for breast cancer, PSA and DRE exams for prostate cancer, PAP smears for cervical cancer, colonoscopies for colon cancer, and skin exams for skin cancer. For more information about finding cancer early, read more about the American Cancer Society’s recommended screening guidelines.

Getting it Right in 2012

The New Year is a time of resolutions – to lose weight, to eat healthier, to begin new routines, and to drop old habits. For me, the resolution to increase my exercise is definitely on my list since I’m still recovering from all the great food we were blessed to eat this holiday season.

 As Oprah Winfrey said, “Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right.”

 Getting it right is always our goal at Gulf Coast Cancer Centers. We strive every day to bring each of our patients the opportunity to get their health right. Your lives are the reason we get up and go to work day after day. We’re committed to getting it right for you.

 For the past 17 years, Gulf Coast Cancer Centers has been committed to providing the highest standard of care to our community by adhering to the treatment guidelines of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). The NCCN’s mission is to provide the most current cancer treatment guidelines that are evidence-based and reflect the expertise of all its member institutions. Just this past year, our cancer center introduced Calypso GPS for the Body and RapidArc radiotherapy. These combined treatment technologies can produce the safest and most beneficial results to fight our patients’ cancer.

 We’ve maintained a strong commitment to the total well being of our patients. Being told, “You have cancer” sparks a fear of the unknown that causes major stress and anxiety. From the beginning, we empower you with knowledge. We give you tools beyond just understanding all the dimensions of your illness and treatment options. We provide emotional support and guidance, combined with strong relationships so that you feel open to express your fears, and let us help you conquer your battle.

 This year, Gulf Coast Cancer Centers is thankful to be able to commit to getting it right for you.

Season of Hope

I saw a patient in clinic this morning who had undergone surgery, chemotherapy, and finally radiation for breast cancer earlier in the year. As we began to talk, I complimented her on how good her hair looked, particularly since she had lost her hair completely after her chemotherapy. The first thing she said was, “Dr. Sawrie I am grateful every day for how blessed I have been this year.” Patients like this survivor are incredibly inspiring. This woman had just completed a very difficult fight against breast cancer, and feels hopeful, optimistic and blessed! Her outlook led me to think about some of the intangibles of cancer treatment.

As doctors, we often get caught up in the technicalities of treatment and how the treatments will affect the prognosis. However, there are many patient characteristics that are difficult to quantify but have equal importance in treatment. Two of those are HOPE and POSITIVE ATTITUDE. A fight against cancer without hope and positive attitude is incredibly difficult. So, when a patient comes to see me for the first time, I spend as much time talking about an optimistic outlook as I do talking about the course of treatment. So if you or a loved one are fighting cancer, take comfort in the story of the patient I saw this morning and most importantly, maintain HOPE!

RapidArc

As the holidays approach, new electronics and technological devices are top of mind, whether its the latest iPhone or game system. TV’s can now connect to the Internet and do almost anything a computer can do. These must-have items make the holidays the perfect time for us to introduce our newest electronic device, RapidArc radiotherapy technology.

While all of our treatment systems are the most advanced technologies available, RapidArc raises the bar with its unbeatable speed and precision.

I know how overwhelming it can be when a patient begins cancer treatments. Cancer patients can have confidence that RapidArc uses the most precise dose distribution, meaning better targeting of the cancerous tumors. This also means sparing more of the surrounding tissue.

Not only is the delivery more precise than other treatments, but also the entire RapidArc procedure can be performed in less than four minutes, with the actual radiotherapy delivered in less than two minutes.

A shorter procedure time means we can spend more time enhancing the experience and care given to our patients, which is our number one priority. It also means patients can get back to their lives – and their holiday technology shopping – much sooner.

Breast Cancer Focus

Did you know that 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime?  Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death among women, behind lung cancer. This is one of the main reasons I strongly encourage women to receive a mammogram every year starting at age 40. I also advocate monthly self-exams starting at age 20.

Early screening can mean finding the cancer at an earlier stage and being able to stop it in its tracks. Hopefully, this also means we catch it before it spreads to other parts of the body.

I stress to my female patients to take care of themselves and to learn the risk factors of breast cancer – both those they can and can’t control. Knowing what you can do to reduce your chances of developing breast cancer means you can do everything in your power to keep yourself healthy.

While more than 85% of women who develop breast cancer have no family history of the disease, having a close relative (mother, sister, daughter) increases a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. For women with strong family histories, I offer genetic counseling and even testing with a simple blood draw where indicated.  This provides valuable information for the patient and her family.

If you have not already checked out our Facebook page, please do so at http://www.facebook.com/gccancercenter. Throughout the month of October, we will be giving information about breast cancer, as well as making a donation to the American Cancer Society for every new follower we gain.

More than 40,000 women will die from breast cancer this year. Please take the time to get your annual mammogram, and come in for screening any time you feel something worrisome on self-exams. When it comes to the fight against breast cancer, I say “Fight Like A Girl!”

A Jolt for Prostate Cancer

We know coffee gives us a jolt for our morning routine, butI recently read a research report from the Harvard School of Public Health that found men who drank the most coffee had the least risk of prostate cancer, based on findings from a 12-year study of 48,000 men.

Specifically, the study showed that men who drank three cups a day reduced their risk of lethal prostate cancer by 30 percent.

In addition to your morning brew, we also have new technology for jolting prostate cancer at Gulf Coast Cancer Centers. The Calypso GPS For the Body® technology uses electromagnetic transponders in the prostate to track prostate motion during treatment at a rate of 10 times a second! This system stops the radiation beam if the prostate moves more than 2 mm.

What we like most about Calypso is that there is less radiation to surrounding organs and tissue and fewer side effects. A recent article in Urology magazine (http://www.hitthetumor.com/clinical-proof) reviewed a study that actually
demonstrates significantly fewer side effects with the Calypso system.

Gulf Coast Cancer Centers is the exclusive provider of the Calypso treatment in Alabama. So if you have prostate cancer, take comfort in knowing you can get your treatments precisely where they will do the most good. We like to hit the tumor, not what’s next to it.

Post from Dr. Sawrie

It’s hard to imagine that one in six men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime. As a man, I’m always excited to hear about advancements in prostate cancer treatment and technologies.

For many patients, a procedure, known as Brachytherapy, can potentially cure prostate cancer in a short procedure without an overnight stay in the hospital.

With Brachytherapy, small “seeds” are placed throughout the prostate.  These seeds, roughly the size of a small grain of rice, emit radiation over a very short distance and are placed so they cover the entire prostate.

We’ve had great success with Brachytherapy for our patients here at Gulf Coast Cancer Centers with our patients. Cure rates are excellent, particularly if the prostate cancer is discovered early. In fact, research has shown 15-year results from prostate seed implementation without recurrence. And it’s been especially effective in overweight men.

Even if the cancer is more advanced or aggressive, we can combine seeds with external beam radiation, especially for those who don’t want to undergo surgical procedures.

Look for more soon on the latest advances in the use of external beam radiation for prostate cancer, and how we use these new technologies to further reduce the side effects of treatment.

– Dr. Sawrie

Welcome!

Welcome, and thank you for visiting Gulf Coast Cancer Centers’ blog.  We have been busy launching our new, redesigned website which provides patients and family members an overview of our practice, including our technology, clinical services, as well as an introduction to staff and physicians.  In our attempt to better inform our patients, we have also established a social media presence with this blog, Facebook, www.facebook.com/gccancercenter, and Twitter, www.twitter.com/gccancercenter.  You can follow along to learn more about what Gulf Coast Cancer Centers is doing to provide the latest technology in cancer care.  I look forward to providing updates on the latest breakthroughs in cancer research.  Please join the conversation – we welcome your input!