Treatment and Symptom Management of Cancer
Your treatment plan is tailored specifically to you. Depending on your health, type of cancer and stage of cancer, treatment can include:
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Surgery
- Interventional Oncology
What is Medical Oncology?
Medical oncology is the treatment of cancer using drug and hormone combinations. Treatment can be delivered by taking pills or by infusion. A hematologist/oncologist monitors your progress during and after treatment and can help with pain and symptom management.
Medical oncology treatments include:
- Biological therapy or immunotherapy uses your body’s immune system to kill cancer cells.
- Chemotherapy uses powerful chemicals to kill cancer cells.
- Hormone therapy uses medicine to slow or stop the growth of cancer cells that use hormones to grow.
- Targeted therapy uses drugs or other substances that interfere with specific molecules in cancer cells to block the growth and spread of cancer.
- BiTE (Bispecific T cell Engager) is a form on immunotherapy which targets a protein on the surface of the cancer cell and brings it in close proximity to the T cell by creating a bridge between two. This allows the T cell to recognize and destroy the cancer cell.
Hematology – hematology/oncology specialists treat patients with blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma. They also treat non-cancer (benign) blood disorders including problems with bleeding and clotting. Spotting these issues early can delay or prevent the harmful effects they may cause.
Medical Oncology at Guthrie
At Guthrie, you can be seen by our medical oncologists with or without a diagnosis of cancer. You may be referred to medical oncology because your doctor suspects you have cancer.
We recommend you bring a friend or family member to your first appointment. It is helpful to have someone with you to take notes.
We welcome all questions. Bring any questions you might have.
Your team of doctors at Guthrie includes specially trained surgical, radiation and medical oncologists. Our cancer team works with doctors from other specialties as well to be sure you have the exact treatment plan that is right for you.
Chemotherapy drugs are mixed on-site for you at all locations so you won’t experience delays in treatment at your appointments.
Guthrie has three locations for infusion treatment across the region: Corning and Cortland, N.Y.; Sayre, Pa. You can find a location close to you.
Doctors and providers from across specialties meet biweekly to discuss every patient and organize the best treatment for her or him across the system.
Cancer nurse navigators help you understand your diagnosis and guide you through the health system. Social workers provide emotional support and help you find community resources.
Wellsboro Infusion offers telemedicine appointments to see your oncologist. Once you have an initial appointment in Sayre or Corning, your follow-up appointments can be done in Wellsboro.