Cancer Treatment at Porter
Considering the Whole Patient
We understand you have a choice where you go for health care, and we want you to know that we offer exceptional care right here in the community. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with cancer, you can count our Oncology Services Team to provide support for you and your family from the initial diagnosis and on through treatment and recovery.
Through technological breakthroughs that allow for early detection and clinical trials that open doors to treatment options, Porter continues to give patients hope for a cancer-free life. Our skilled team treats all types of cancers found in adults such as bladder cancer; breast cancer; colon cancer; endocrine cancer; gastrointestinal cancer; gynecological cancer; lung cancer; prostate cancer; rectal cancer; skin cancer; stomach cancer; thyroid cancer; and more.
Cancer Imaging Tools
PET/CT
The combined PET/CT scans provide information about the function and structure of a body part. This is useful for the early diagnosis of cancer. Not only can the presence of an abnormal tumor be noted, the function of the cells that make up the tumor can be analyzed to determine if the growth is benign or malignant.
MRI
Without using radiation, an MRI produces a very clear image and can detect tiny changes of structures within the body, particularly in the soft tissue such as the breast, brain, spinal cord, abdomen and joints.
Ultrasound
Endoscopic ultrasound spares patients the necessity for exploratory surgery by giving the physician access to the pancreas, gallbladder, esophagus, stomach and even the lungs in order to detect the presence of tumors and stage cancers. Transvaginal ultrasound is used to help detect for ovarian and other gynecological cancers.
Needle Biopsy
To follow up on a breast abnormality detected by a mammogram, a needle biopsy is a non-surgical means of assessing breast tissue.
Cancer Treatment Tools
Image Guided Radiation using Porter’s Advanced Linear Accelerator
Porter’s linear accelerator (LINAC) makes it possible to visualize tumors and organs in 3-D.The first LINAC to come standard with a fully integrated 3-D imaging package, image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) is now more precise than ever and spares surrounding healthy tissue. During IGRT, the patient is imaged in the treatment room while on the treatment table so that the exact location of the target is determined.
da Vinci Robotic Surgery
Requiring just several small incisions and reducing the risk of complications, the da Vinci Robotic platform is used to treat prostate cancer, bladder cancer, colorectal cancer and urologic cancer.
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is commonly for treating prostate cancer. IMRT conforms the radiation dose to the shape of the target tissues in 3-dimensions, reducing the dose delivered to the nearby normal tissues.
Surgery
Performed by board certified surgeons with extensive cancer surgery experience, surgery is just one of many treatment options available to patients at Porter.
Resources for Patients & Family
Support group information and information about a chronic pain support group can be found by calling Porter’s Social Work Services Department at 219.263.4760.
American Cancer Society www.cancer.org
Porter County Cancer Society 219-462-7466
Visiting Nurse Association of Porter County www.vnaportercounty.org
(includes Meals on Wheels, and Companion Homemaker programs)