The first genetic test for cancer became available in 1996. That test, the BRCA 1/2 test, looked for mutations in the two genes most commonly affected in hereditary breast and ovarian cancer — the breast cancer 1 (BRCA1) and breast cancer 2 (BRCA2) genes. Since then, many more cancer genes have been identified, and tests developed to look for mutations.
A new type of scan is helping doctors at The Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center detect very small, hard-to-find areas of prostate cancer, which could lead to better treatment outcomes.
When undergoing radiation treatments at The Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center, you will meet Leever’s Radiation Therapists, who administer the doses of radiation prescribed to patients.
When people walk through the front door of the Leever Cancer Center, they are often not feeling their best. They might be feeling ill or weak from treatments or be confused about where to go. That’s why our valuable front office staff is so important.
When The Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center opened in 2002, its mission was to create a healing environment for the care of people with cancer, keeping patients and families at the center of every interaction.
We are proud to say that for 20 years we have been fulfilling that goal, providing the most advanced therapies to our patients and continuously seeking out and offering innovations in cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, education, and support.
We are pleased to welcome Samantha Conway and Erin Gregoire to our Radiation Oncology staff. We asked both nurses some questions to help us get to know them better. We’re sharing it with you, so you can learn more about them too!
As you know, COVID-19 has impacted many aspects of our lives — from increased hand washing and mask wearing to restrictions on gatherings with friends and family. There have been many changes at the Leever Center too. We have had to cancel all in-person support groups and events, follow guidelines for screening and safety, and change our cleaning and sanitizing protocols for everyone’s safety. One important aspect of patient care that has continued without interruption is our multidisciplinary conferences.
If you have visited the Leever Cancer Center in the last year, you’ve met our screening team, which greets all visitors and verifies that they are safe to enter the facility.
“Look Good, Feel Better offers women the opportunity to effectively mitigate some of the side effects — both physical and emotional — that can make cancer treatment especially difficult,” says Leever Operations Director Deborah Parkinson. “We’re proud to offer the program at no cost to our patients, who are always grateful for its profound impact on their lives.”
Routine screenings are among the most important tools available to physicians and patients working to treat and prevent cancer.
“Screening can help doctors find and treat many forms of cancer early, before patients begin to experience symptoms,” explains Leever Radiation Oncologist Dr. Joseph Ravalese III. “Early detection is important because almost all cancers respond to treatment better in the earliest stages of the disease, when they have not spread to other parts of the body.”