Advanced technology and Cutting-edge treatments The Radiation Oncology Center provides patients with a state-of-the-art CT Simulator, which is a crucial tool for planning radiation oncology treatments. It generates crystal clear images and offers upgraded features from a traditional CT Simulator.

GBMC’s Women’s oncology Center offering Women Comprehensive & Dedicated Care

“With its clearer images and more advanced technological features, the CT Simulator allows us to plan radiation treatments with more precision,” says Robert Brookland, MD, Chairman of Radiation Oncology. The wider opening is able to accommodate patients of a larger stature as well as those, like breast cancer patients, who must maintain a position such as holding their hands behind their head. It shows an exact image of the tumor site which helps provide physicians information to create an effective treatment plan. When treatment is approved, it is administered using the department’s newest linear accelerator, which delivers three-dimensional doses of radiation directly to the tumor, while sparing surrounding healthy tissue. Many times, patients receiving radiation oncology will also require medical oncology treatment. The field of medical oncology has seen significant advancements in the past 30 years, including drugs that are able to lower the risk of cancer recurrence and improve quality of life for patients. “We place great emphasis on offering the most current, effective treatments for breast and gynecologic cancer patients,” says Robert Donegan, MD, medical oncologist.

Dr. Robert Brookland, radiation oncologist, standing by the CT Simulator.

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every patient and every cancer is different, so we identify each individual’s needs and develop a treatment plan uniquely for that patient.

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Dr. Robert Brookland, radiation oncologist

Dr. Robert Donegan, medical oncologist

6701 North Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21204 www.gbmc.org

to learn more about GBMC’s Women’s oncology Center, call 443-849-4833 or visit www.gbmc.org/womens or Go MoBILe and get more information from your smartphone! Snap this tag and access more content on GBMC’s Women’s oncology Center.

Focus is produced by GBMC’s Marketing and Communications Department for the medical community of GBMC.

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Women’s Oncology Center

As a member of the Gynecological Oncology Group (GOG), which is sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, GBMC is able to offer patients access to all current and national clinical trials for gynecologic cancers. This expands their options to include participation in the latest ongoing clinical research.

Dedicated Care for Women

Dr. Paul Celano, MD, medical oncologist and Division Head of Medical Oncology

he words “You have cancer,” aren’t easy for anyone to hear. Women who are newly diagnosed with breast or gynecological cancers are suddenly thrust into a world of worries and what-ifs. That’s why GBMC created the Women’s Oncology Center. A single phone call connects patients and referring physicians with a dedicated nurse care coordinator who helps expedite appointments and put patients in touch with a range of support services. “The key is ease of access

Comprehensive Care for Breast and Gynecologic Patients Specializing in breast cancer, the physicians of the Comprehensive Breast Care Center provide advanced care to the patients of the Women’s Oncology Center. “Each breast cancer patient’s care is fully integrated from start to finish,” says Lauren Schnaper, MD, FACS, Director of GBMC’s Comprehensive Breast Care Center.

to care,” says Gary Cohen, MD, Director of the Sandra & Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute at GBMC (right). “We have all the services a woman needs at every stage of her treatment and the Center streamlines access to these services. It’s an integrated, multidisciplinary approach focused on making the process as seamless and easy as possible.”

Sophisticated diagnostic and treatment equipment is available for all patients, Dr. Lauren Schnaper including the latest digital mammography with monitoring technology. This allows surgeons to view test results right in the patient’s room.

The Women’s Oncology Center offers women every aspect of care required to treat breast and gynecological cancers, including:

Gynecological cancer patients have the benefit of receiving treatment from physicians highly trained in radical cancer staging and minimally invasive surgical techniques. Gynecologic surgeons are able to give more women the option to undergo major abdominal surgery through tiny incisions.

• Diagnostic Imaging

• S urgery, including minimally invasive and robotic surgical options

• Radiation and Medical Oncology

• Infusion Therapy

• Access to national clinical trials

• Reconstructive and Plastic Surgery

• Digital Mammography

• Genetic Counseling and Testing

GBMC is also a regional leader in clinical cutting-edge research for women’s cancers. Several physicians are investigating improved clinical treatments and approaches to care for female cancer survivors.

Benefits of minimally invasive techniques include shorter hospital stays, fewer surgical complications and less pain than surgery with larger incisions. Surgeons offer laparoendoscopic single site surgery (LESS), a surgical technique that allows physicians to operate through one small incision at the base of the navel. “Unlike recovering from surgery performed through large incisions, gynecologic surgery using LESS causes little disruption to the patient’s quality of life,” says Amanda Nickles Fader, MD, Director of Gynecologic Robotic Surgery and Associate Director of Gynecologic Oncology. Additionally, GBMC offers robotic surgery for gynecologic patients. Using the da Vinci® Robotic Surgical System, surgeons are able to operate through tiny incisions using robotic arms. Robotic surgery helps physicians operate with uncompromised accuracy, all while offering patients the benefits of a minimally invasive procedure.

on the cover: Members of the Women’s Oncology Center,

Drs. Francis Grumbine, Lauren Schnaper, Paul Celano, Amanda Nickles Fader and Clair Francomano.

TO THE RIGHT: Drs. Amanda Nickles Fader and

Francis Grumbine, GYN oncologists.

Learn more Call 443-849-GBMC or visit www.gbmc.org

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Knowing is Power For women who are interested in finding out their hereditary risk of developing breast or ovarian cancers, the Harvey Institute for Human Genetics offers genetic counseling, risk assessment and testing for hereditary cancers. “Many women seek out testing for their peace of mind,” says Clair Francomano, MD, Director of Adult Genetics at the Harvey Institute for Human Genetics. The genetic counselors at the Institute Dr. Clair Francomano perform an in-depth risk assessment, which includes the patient’s family and individual history to determine if there might be a genetic predisposition to cancer. Women who have been diagnosed with cancer under the age of 50, have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, or a personal history of more than one type of cancer, may be good candidates for genetic testing. “Our genetic services not only help patients make their own medical decisions, but also learn if their children and siblings are at risk,” says Dr. Francomano. “With this knowledge, physicians are able to form a solid foundation for a tailored treatment and surveillance plan.”

Care Coordinators Offer Much Needed Support Dedicated nurse care coordinators are available to help patients schedule appointments, explain testing procedures and results and generally be a pillar of emotional support for patients and their families. Veronica Young, RN, OCN, offers her services to patients dealing with gynecological cancers. Barbara Raksin, RN, helps those patients battling breast cancer, while Sandy Woodring, RN, works with all the breast cancer patients seen in Medical Oncology. All three have years of experience dealing with cancer patients and the unique challenges and obstacles they face along their journey. As a breast cancer survivor herself, Barbara Raksin brings an entirely new perspective to the table for her patients.

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