Despite continual advancements in cancer treatment and care, a cancer diagnosis still causes great concern for thousands of patients across Louisiana every year. Fortunately, the state’s cancer treatment specialists and cancer centers offer many of the most advanced treatments available. Between clinical trials and proven, time-tested procedures and medications, there are approaches to battling cancer that can benefit cancer patients who seek help close to home.
Specialists in prostate, bladder, and kidney cancers as well as radiation oncologists and other experts and programs are some of the resources below for cancer patients and their friends and families. Regional cancer centers take a comprehensive approach to fighting the disease and offer multi-disciplinary care while local cancer associations help fill the gaps in care that insurance may not cover. Meanwhile, independent imaging services offer an alternative to hospital imaging. Support abounds for those facing a cancer diagnosis across Greater New Orleans and beyond.
Cancer Treatment Specialists
The number of treatment options facing prostate cancer patients can be confusing and daunting. And the appointments required to explore those options are often time consuming and inconvenient. That’s why Tulane Health System created the Tulane Multidisciplinary Prostate Cancer Clinic, bringing patients and family members together with medical oncologists, urologic surgeons, and radiation oncology specialists to discuss all options in one convenient visit. And because waiting is often the hardest part, a medical team member will speak with any patient within 48 hours of their initial inquiry.
“We’ve assembled the most experienced prostate cancer team in the Gulf South region,” says urologic surgeon Dr. Spencer Krane. “We offer the latest treatment options and cutting-edge clinical trials. We want to share this expertise with patients who need us and take away some of the stress of an incredibly stressful time.”
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 504-988-2342.
The newly expanded comprehensive Kidney and Bladder Cancer Program at Tulane Cancer Center is at the forefront of kidney and bladder cancer care in the state. The program offers access to a large number of clinical trials for kidney and bladder cancer patients in all stages of their disease. With a focus on access to care, the clinical team is able to see newly diagnosed patients in clinic within a few days and quickly develop a plan for treatment.
“It’s wonderful to be able to offer patients quick access to care in addition to novel treatments they won’t find anywhere else,” says Dr. Pedro Barata. Prior to overseeing the Tulane Kidney and Bladder Cancer Program, Dr. Barata worked extensively with clinical trials at the Cleveland Clinic and at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. As a GU-focused medical oncologist, Dr. Barata specializes specifically in the management of kidney, bladder, and prostate cancers.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 504-988-1118 or email pbarata@tulane.edu.
Tulane Cancer Center provides a multidisciplinary approach to cancer care with a distinguished team of experts who offer the most advanced cancer treatments and access to cutting-edge clinical trials. Radiation Oncologist Dr. Kendra Harris and the Radiation Oncology Department at Tulane provide curative therapy to patients using the best equipment and techniques. The department is excited to announce the installation of a new linear accelerator—the TruBeam®—which adds new capabilities, including breath-hold gated radiation treatment delivery. In addition, the department is receiving all new CT equipment, which will add the ability to take scans during patient breath holds, providing the data necessary to further focus radiation treatments on a patient›s tumor while avoiding normal tissues.
The department is also excited to welcome Dr. Audrey Dang as a faculty member. Dr. Dang returns home having recently finished radiation oncology residency at UCLA.
“I’m proud of and excited about the care we deliver—it’s timely, multidisciplinary, and uses the best technology available while offering clinical trials,” says Dr. Harris. For more information, call 504-988-1070.
Cancer Centers & Programs
Thibodaux Regional’s Cancer Center, located in Lafourche Parish, is a comprehensive cancer program that provides a full range of cancer treatments and services, complemented by strong emotional, lifestyle, and educational support. The Center is accredited with Commendation by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and is the only program in Louisiana to receive the College’s Outstanding Achievement Award four times.
With a team of outstanding oncology specialists plus the most advanced cancer diagnostic and treatment technology available, patients will receive the highest quality of care. The Center provides advanced radiation treatment technology that is safer and more precise, including the TrueBeam Radiation Therapy System, Brainlab’s ExacTrac, RapidArc Radiation Therapy, and Brachytherapy. The Patient Care Coordinator ensures patients receive the care and support services needed for the best possible outcome.
For more information about Thibodaux Regional’s Cancer Center, visit thibodaux.com.
The LaNasa-Greco Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s Hospital New Orleans treats more than 1,100 children with cancer or blood disorders each year, more than all other facilities in Louisiana combined. The hospital provides treatment and transplantation for children with leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell anemia, hemophilia, and other childhood cancers and blood disorders.
Children’s Hospital’s Cancer Program is accredited with an Outstanding Achievement Award by the American College of Surgeons and is a member of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), a national study group of premier research institutes in the United States and Canada. The Bone Marrow Transplant Program is FACT-accredited since 2008. Hospital physicians have access to the most modern therapies for treatment of malignancies and blood disorders in children.
Children’s Hospital also received accreditation from the Department of Health and Human Services as a federally recognized Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC), to provide state-of-the-art comprehensive multispecialty care to Louisiana children with all types of bleeding disorders.
For more information, contact Children’s Hospital’s Cancer Center at 504-896-9740 chnola.org.
Touro’s Comprehensive Cancer Program provides collaborative care and support through cancer diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and survivorship. At Touro, you’ll find the latest cancer-fighting treatments and expert surgeons and specialists offering compassionate care and support to patients and their families. Patients can visit with several specialists in one location, often during one appointment, and receive one-stop cancer care. Touro’s supportive cancer care program provides mental, emotional, spiritual, and social support from the time your cancer is diagnosed through treatment and beyond. The Touro team takes an approach that focuses on the whole person, not just the disease.
Touro’s Cancer Program is accredited by the Commission on Cancer, which is recognized as the gold standard in cancer care. This accreditation reflects Touro’s commitment to offer the highest level of cancer care for patients. Learn more about Touro’s Cancer Program by visiting touro.com/cancer/.
Resources for Patients
Since 1973, Diagnostic Imaging Services has been the preferred alternative to area hospitals and medical centers for providing women’s health imaging services. Independent medical practices such as Diagnostic Imaging Services provide the high quality that people and their doctors want at much more affordable rates than area hospitals, keeping patients from sacrificing quality for cost.
Now the only independent medical practice in the New Orleans area to be a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence, DIS has expanded service offerings in recent years to include advanced diagnostic techniques such as breast biopsy and breast MRI. Women know the ease, comfort, calm and convenience of the multiple locations DIS provides for breast cancer screening. The DIS women’s health imaging portfolio provides state-of-the-art diagnostics outside of a hospital setting.
Choose DIS—doctor trusted, patient preferred. DIS offers locations in Metairie, Marrero, Slidell and Covington. Visit disnola.com.
“It was a relief just to know I am not alone,” says Mr. Crane, a local cancer survivor. The Cancer Association believes no one should face the challenge of cancer alone. The Cancer Association of Greater New Orleans (CAGNO) was founded in 1959 with a mission to assist local cancer patients and their families by providing support that will enable them to continue their treatment.
CAGNO’s program fills gaps in services such as nutritional supplies, prescriptions, and co-pays. Cancer Patients turn to CAGNO to fill these gaps that are often instead filled by family or friends or not filled at all. CAGNO proudly serves 23 parishes in Southeast Louisiana and statewide through its Breastoration Program. The organization partners with four United Ways: United Way of St. Charles, St. John United Way, United Way of South Louisiana, and the United Way of Southeast Louisiana. In 2018, CAGNO extended services to the Baton Rouge area through a generous grant.
For more information, visit cagno.org or call 504-733-5539.
