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Cancer Discovery &
Care Magazine
At UPMC Cancer Centers, cancer specialty care centers bring together a team of experts in medical, radiation, and surgical oncology; disease-specific specialists such as gastroenterologists, pulmonologists, and neurologists; and pathologists and radiologists to treat specific cancers. Patients see the entire team in a concentrated period of time, expediting the development and implementation of a treatment plan. Once a treatment plan has been developed, the team provides immediate feedback to the referring physician to ensure a complete continuum of care. And whenever possible, delivery of follow-up care may be available closer to home through the UPMC Cancer Centers network.
Centers, which are located at Hillman Cancer Center in Pittsburgh, are set up by cancer type, including:
Newly diagnosed patients work with a coordinator who serves as the point person for the treatment team – reviewing the patient’s history and making appropriate appointments based on the patient’s needs and the team’s recommendations. Specialists from supportive services, such as nutritional counseling, behavioral medicine, palliative care, pain and rehabilitation, oncology social work, and cancer education, are also part of the multidisciplinary team to enhance the patient experience.
Another important component of the multidisciplinary model is the incorporation of clinical trials in the treatment plan, combining innovative and promising clinical trial options with the best standard of care therapies for each cancer type.