Cancer treatment

Getting to know the cancer team

At Yale-New Haven, you are cared for by one of the most experienced, knowledgeable cancer care teams in the United States. These experts meet regularly to plan out all aspects of your care, taking into account your personal preferences and expectations. Take a minute and learn about some of the people who may be involved in your care.

Diagnostic radiologists
Once an X-ray, mammogram, ultrasound or MRI has been taken, specialized diagnostic radiologists at Yale-New Haven interpret the results. Radiologists then contact your physician with the results, and consult on whether additional testing may be required.

Surgical oncologists
Surgeons are often the first cancer specialist you may see if you need a surgical biopsy or removal of a tumor. They work in conjunction with other team members to plan the best course of treatment for you. If necessary, plastic surgeons are available to provide expertise in performing reconstructive surgery.

Medical oncologists
Medical oncologists bring to patients their expertise in drug therapies (chemotherapy, hormone therapy and biological therapy) used alone or in combination with other treatments. Medical oncologists consult with other members of the health care team to determine optimal treatment choices, including standard therapy or clinical trials.

Radiation oncologists
Radiation oncologists specialize in treating cancer using radiation. Either external or internal radiation therapy destroys cancerous cells while minimizing damage to healthy surrounding tissues. Other members of the radiation therapy team include physicists, resident physicians, nurses, technologists and dosimetrists, who calculate the type and length of treatments needed.

Pathologists
In the laboratory, teams of pathologists use their collective years of experience to analyze and categorize thousands of tissue samples each year. Because cancer is really a hundred different diseases instead of just one disease, the detailed information provided by the pathologist's report to your physician is the cornerstone of the treatment plan that will be developed.

Nurses
Oncology nurses at Yale-New Haven Hospital are registered nurses who have chosen to dedicate their careers to caring for cancer patients. They have participated in several educational courses and national certification through the Oncology Nursing Society. In addition, some nurses are advanced practice nurses who have completed graduate and post-graduate coursework. Oncology nurses provide physical care, administer therapies, carefully monitor patients, and assist patients in symptom management. They also teach patients, and talk with and support families. The affiliation with Yale School of Nursing offers education and research opportunities to advance cancer nursing practice.

Care coordinator
The care coordinator is a nurse who works with the patient care team to ensure your care is efficient and organized, and that everything that needs to happen in the hospital gets done in a timely way.

Genetic counselors
Genetic counselors offer genetic testing if there is a history of certain types of cancers in your immediate family. The Yale Cancer Center was the first Connecticut institution to offer a cancer genetics program.

Social workers
Oncology social workers at Yale-New Haven Hospital are a great source of support, education and encouragement for both you and your family. With extensive experience in working with cancer patients, oncology social workers can often anticipate problems or difficult emotions you may be feeling, and offer possible solutions. They assist patients and families with emotional adjustment. Social workers facilitate support groups at Yale-New Haven, where cancer patients and families can gather to share their experiences and gain support from people in similar situations.

Dietitians
Dietitians offer a wide variety of services to cancer patients, from preparing menus to meet their special nutritional needs to making certain foods more palatable when a patient has a loss of appetite. They are available to both inpatients and outpatients of Yale-New Haven Hospital. For information, call Yale-New Haven Nutrition InfoLine at (203) 688-2422.

Physical and occupational therapists
Physical and occupational therapies help cancer patients relearn how to perform certain tasks and to retain as much independence as possible. In addition, they can help patients avoid or minimize certain side effects of cancer surgeries, such as swelling after a mastectomy. Therapy can begin at the bedside, and continue, if necessary, in the home setting. For information, call (203) 688-2250.

Physicians in fellowships
These physicians are called "oncology fellows." They have completed medical school and an internal medicine residency. This two-year fellowship in oncology at Yale School of Medicine gives these physicians exceptional training at one of the country's leading schools of medicine and prepares these physicians for their board certifying examinations in oncology.

Clergy
The spiritual component of healing and health cannot be underestimated. If patients wish, New Haven-area clergy regularly can visit them and their families on the Medical Oncology Unit on the eighth floor of the West Pavilion. For information, contact Peg Lewis, Religious Ministries, at (203) 688-2151.

Home health care
Before every cancer patient leaves Yale-New Haven, a comprehensive plan for discharge is written and preparations are made for care in the community. When a patient comes home, he or she may need nursing or support services from home health agencies. In addition, patients in the outpatient clinic or office may require home health care assistance to manage their medical treatment or physical needs.

Next page: Questons to ask your cancer specialist

Cancer Services home page
Online physician referral service

Last revised: April 27, 2007 (dh)

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