Oncology

At MountainStar Healthcare, we understand that cancer care goes beyond traditional treatment. Because of this, we offer specialized cancer care services to help patients throughout their journey.

At our hospitals, cancer care goes beyond traditional treatment. We offer a variety of cancer support services to ensure patients receive high-quality care from diagnosis to survivorship and beyond.

Our support services include:

• Cancer rehabilitation
• Genetic counseling
• Genetic testing
• Nurse navigators

We treat many types of cancer, including:

• Bone cancer
• Breast cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Gynecologic cancer
• Head and neck cancer
• Lung cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Sarcoma

Our doctors are also experienced in treating metastatic cancer. Metastatic cancer is cancer that has spread from the original site to another area of the body.

When the cancer cells metastasize, which is called metastasis, they do not morph into another type of cancer cell. For example, lung cancer that spreads to the brain is called metastatic lung cancer. It would not be considered brain cancer. Cancer cells may spread through many different channels, such as the lymph nodes or blood vessels. All types of cancer are capable of spreading.

We provide you access to many different types of treatment so you receive the care that is right for you.

Chemotherapy, a type of infusion therapy, uses medication to kill or slow the growth of cancer cells. In some cases, more than one type of chemotherapy medication may be administered at a time as some drugs are more successful together.

Chemotherapy can be administered in a variety of ways. These include:

• Through the mouth (oral chemotherapy)
• Through the muscles (intramuscular chemotherapy)
• Though the veins (intravenous chemotherapy)
• Through the spinal canal (intrathecal chemotherapy)

Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to treat cancer by preventing cancer cells from multiplying and growing. The goal is to stop, or at least slow, the growth of the tumor. In many cases, the tumor may be destroyed.

Surgery is another effective method of cancer treatment. Surgery may be suggested before you begin radiation or chemotherapy, or it may be recommended after the therapy has had an opportunity to shrink the tumor.

Many types of cancer involve more than one type of treatment option. At Ogden Regional Medical Center, your individual case will be evaluated during a cancer conference by a panel of specialized physicians. The goal of these doctors is to provide a personalized cancer care plan for you and your individual condition.

This meeting allows them to discuss your case from multiple perspectives and customize a treatment plan that will help achieve the best possible outcome for you.

We treat many types of cancer, including:

• Bone cancer
• Breast cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Gynecologic cancer
• Head and neck cancer
• Lung cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Sarcoma

Our doctors are also experienced in treating metastatic cancer. Metastatic cancer is cancer that has spread from the original site to another area of the body.

When the cancer cells metastasize, which is called metastasis, they do not morph into another type of cancer cell. For example, lung cancer that spreads to the brain is called metastatic lung cancer. It would not be considered brain cancer. Cancer cells may spread through many different channels, such as the lymph nodes or blood vessels. All types of cancer are capable of spreading.

We offer a variety of cancer treatment options to ensure patients receive the care that is right for them.

Ogden Regional Medical Center, in partnership with Gamma West Cancer Services, offers an advanced radiation therapy treatment option. Tomotherapy is a specialized type of radiation therapy that can localize and target tumors within the body and deliver radiation with increased accuracy.

This type of therapy enables physicians to deliver a high dose of radiation to the target area and substantially minimize side effects to other nearby organs.

By using tomotherapy, our radiation oncologists are able to:

• Adapt the treatment plan at any point
• Customize delivery for each patient, surrounding the target with precise radiation, delivered from all angles
• Minimize radiation exposure to healthy tissue
• Use daily imaging studies to guide treatment based on patient anatomy for that day, rather than for last week or last month

Brachytherapy is internal radiation that involves the placement of radiation directly at the site of the cancerous tumor. A key feature of brachytherapy is that the radiation only affects a localized area around the radiation source and provides a more precise treatment in only a few minutes. HDR brachytherapy can be performed in 3 to 10 treatments, depending on the type of cancer being treated. And because the radioactive source is retracted after treatment is complete, there isn’t a concern of radiation exposure for family.

We offer biopsies, ablations, and embolization.

Chemotherapy (chemo) is a medication used to treat cancer. The main goals of chemo are to cure cancer, keep it from spreading, slow its growth and relieve cancer symptoms. Your doctor may suggest more than one chemo drug because some medications work better together.

You may receive chemo:

• Through an IV (intravenous)
• Through central venous catheters
• Via implanted ports in the chest
• Orally by mouth
• Via an injection into the muscle (intramuscular)
• Via an injection into the spinal fluid (intrathecal)

Your chemo dosage schedule may last from a few weeks up to a year, with varying cycle frequency. Treatments are followed by rest cycles to give your body time to build healthy new cells and regain strength. It may be used along or in combination with surgery and radiation therapy.

Some patients require surgery as an option to treat cancer. Most often, surgery is used to remove the tumor or any of the affected areas of the body.

At Ogden Regional Medical Center, we understand that cancer care needs go beyond treatment. That's why we offer a variety of cancer support services to help you heal—body and mind.

Cancer rehabilitation combines nutritional support with cancer-specific exercise therapy. Our cancer rehabilitation program provides access to:

• A registered dietitian
• Individualized treatment plans
• Monitored exercise sessions
• Nutritional education

Participants in this program often experience several benefits, such as decreased fatigue and nausea. They also report increased balance, control, range of motion and quality of life.

Our cancer nurse navigator is an experienced nurse who will be an advocate for you throughout your treatment. The nurse navigator is there to answer your questions, connect you with helpful resources and coordinate your schedule and appointments with the appropriate physicians. Our navigator provides each patient with continued support throughout their cancer journey.

A social worker can help you deal with the psychological, social, and emotional concerns you face though your journey and provide resources to cope.

Classes or groups to connect with others affected by cancer.

We participate in clinical trials to help find new ways to treat patients and develop and improve new technologies.

Ogden Regional Medical Center is also home to the first official cancer resource center in Utah, established through an exclusive partnership between the American Cancer Society (ACS) and our hospital in Weber County.

The center provides resources and information about treatment options. Additionally, trained volunteers staff the center. These volunteers are available to provide help and support.

Patients who have a higher risk of cancer due to their genetic makeup are encouraged to take preventive measures to reduce their risk. We have a board-certified genetic counselor who ensures patients are appropriately screened and tested. The genetic counselor also helps patients understand their test results.

Specific gene testing can identify these patients and help save their lives, as well as the lives of their family members.

Our team of financial counselors can assist you with your financial concerns and help determine how your treatment, billing and insurance can be handled.

We offer Tibetan prayer flags as an option for a sign of hope and peace to our patients with cancer. We supply our patients with five Tibetan prayer flags as well as a separate flag with your name written on it. The flag will travel to the highest mountains around the world, eventually ending its journey at Mount Everest.

You can follow your flag's journey at Radiating Hope. This program is free to any interested patient.

When you or someone you love is battling cancer, information can be both empowering and necessary. Learn as much as you can about the disease and treatment, so that you are knowledgeable about your options.

Below are additional resources to help you during your cancer journey.

• American Cancer Society
• CancerCare Group
• National Cancer Institute
• The Mesothelioma + Asbestos Awareness Center