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Cancer Care

When it's cancer, you want a team that knows how to fight.

Cancer is a scary word, but science has given us many tools in the prevention, early detection, and treatment of cancer, and today we are effectively treating and even curing cancer right here in the Merrimack Valley. The cancer treatment team at Lawrence General Hospital works in collaboration with doctors from Dana Farber Cancer Institute to help you leverage the resources you need to be a survivor.

A treatment team you can trust

Lawrence General's staff provides patients with the highest quality of cancer care through a disciplined, dedicated, totality of care approach. Your team includes skilled cancer nurses, therapists, dieticians, social workers, pharmacists, lab technicians and physicians (oncologists, surgeons, neurosurgeons, urologists, ear nose and throat specialists and others.) The team draws on advanced treatment modalities like the latest chemotherapy, chemoembolization, interventional radiology and radio frequency embolization.

How do I know if it’s cancer?

If you have noticed a change in your body, it’s important to get yourself checked out. Your primary care physician can help you decide if you need to see a specialist. If it’s not cancer, eliminating that worry is good for your health! If it is cancer, then early diagnosis and treatment is the best recipe for success. If you have noticed any of these common symptoms of cancer contact your physician:

Lump or swelling
A sore that doesn't heal
Recent change in a wart/mole
Unusual bleeding or discharge
Changes in bladder or bowel habits
Nagging cough or hoarseness
Difficulty in swallowing or dyspepsia
Otherwise unexplained significant weight loss
Unexpected uterine or rectal bleeding

Lawrence General’s program approaches cancer in four phases:

Prevention

Prevention seeks to sensitize people to those things that can increase their likelihood of developing the disease like smoking and obesity.

Screening and Diagnosing

Screening and diagnosing emphasizes such techniques as colonoscopy, mammograms (the Mammography program at Lawrence General is licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health), PSAs, biopsies, blood studies, ultrasound, computerized tomography (CT) and genetic testing for patients with a significant personal or family history with certain kinds of cancers like colorectal, uterine, breast, ovary and Lynch Syndrome.

Treatment

Treatment may include chemotherapy or other forms of system therapy like monoclonal antibodies and biphosphonates and infusions administered in an outpatient setting. Lawrence General also involves those patients who qualify in a clinical research trials program for the most common solid tumors and hematological (blood) malignancies – a capability that is very unusual for a community hospital.

Management

Management is that stage of cancer care that includes the patient in the process. The registered dietician will, for example, review the importance of maintaining a balanced diet that's rich in protein, whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables and essential fatty acids and recommends appropriate liquid supplements and multivitamins as part of a comprehensive diet plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is cancer?

Almost all the cells in the body multiply throughout life. Normal cells multiply under control and die when they are supposed to. Cancer cells, on the other hand, lose this control and start multiplying more than required or continue to live beyond their natural time. These cells can damage the organ in which the cell multiplication is taking place and can also spread to other sites.

In which part of my body can I get cancer?

Cancer can occur in any part of the body. Cancer is usually painless at onset and generally presents as swellings or growths. These lesions gradually increase in size and can damage the surrounding tissue.

How does cancer spread?

As cancer grows, it invades the surrounding structures and can invade lymphatic and blood vessels. It then can spread to the draining lymph nodes and other organs; through the blood stream, it also spreads to others parts of the body like the lung, liver, bones and/or brain.

What causes cancer?

The exact cause of cancer is not yet known. However, there are certain risk factors that may lead to it. Common factors include tobacco, obesity, a strong family history of certain cancers, alcohol (in the case of liver cancer), certain infections (HIV, H pylori in the stomach and HPV, among others), exposure to certain hormonal treatments, certain toxic chemicals (asbestos, benzene compounds), radiation exposure and more.

Is cancer preventable?

Yes, to a large extent. About 50% of cancers are tobacco-related, including lung cancer, cancer of mouth, cancer of the voice box and many others. Avoiding intake of tobacco can prevent these cancers. Certain cancers like cancers of the colon, breast and cervix can be detected early and cured if treated promptly. It is therefore important to be aware of the early warning signals and consult a health professional. It is equally important to go through the appropriate screening for those cancers – colonoscopies for colon cancer, mammograms for breast cancer and so on.

What are the signs and symptoms of cancer?

The common symptoms of cancer are: - Lump or swelling - A sore that doesn't heal - Recent change in a wart/mole - Unusual bleeding or discharge - Changes in bladder or bowel habits - Nagging cough or hoarseness - Difficulty in swallowing or dyspepsia - Otherwise unexplained significant weight loss - Unexpected uterine or rectal bleeding

How is cancer treated?

Surgery, radiation and chemotherapy (drugs) are the common ways of treating cancer. Treatment often requires more than one of these modalities. To decide on the best treatment for a given patient, initial testing is done to make the diagnosis and determine how far the disease has progressed. Based on factors like this, the patient's age and his or her clinical status, the treatment is planned. The response of disease to treatment is assessed periodically. Treatment generally needs to be given over a period of time. Once the planned treatment is completed, cancer patients need regular follow-up.

What can I do to prevent cancer?

- Avoid tobacco (most importantly) and alcohol - Avoid obesity - Indulge in physical activity - Be aware of your body so that you can detect any changes early - Be alert for the warning signs of cancer Contact a health professional immediately if you come across any suspicious symptom and go through the appropriate screenings.

Cancer Care at Lawrence General