Cancer & Oncology Care | Adena Health

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Our Adena Cancer Center is not only close to home, but it’s distinguished as having received the highest level of accreditation from the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons. Our Adena Radiation Oncology department has additionally earned accreditation from the American College of Radiology (ACR) in 2020.

We provide comprehensive, patient-centered care for all types of cancer under one roof. Using a multi-specialty, team approach, our Adena Cancer teams coordinate the expertise of all cancer specialists to ensure that our patients receive the best treatment possible. Patients receive an individualized plan of care, customized by our cross-specialty tumor board that aligns to national cancer care benchmarks. Our Nurse Navigators will help guide patients throughout their cancer journeys, coordinating appointments and answering questions every step of the way. In addition to personalized care, Adena Cancer Center is part of the Columbus Community Clinical Oncology Research Program (NCORP), a consortium of 14 institutions that bring groundbreaking research to local communities. This means having access and insights to potential clinical trials for leading-edge cancer treatments.

Fighting cancer requires a team — expert physicians, nurses, caregivers, a patient navigator and more. When you’re undergoing cancer treatment, there are additional team members available to you.

Nutrition Services — Chemotherapy medications can leave patients feeling nauseated, and some treatments, such as those for head and neck cancer, can diminish a person’s ability to taste or enjoy food. With a limited appetite, it can be hard to get enough calories to keep your strength up. A dietitian is at the Adena Cancer Center one day a week to meet with patients while they are undergoing chemotherapy and help them refine their diets to ease nausea and make sure they are getting the nutrition they need.

Social Services — The effects of cancer treatment go beyond the physical effect on your body. Adena’s social worker can connect patients with additional social services or resources in the community. A social worker also can talk with patients and their family members and caregivers to address any confusion or help soothe anxieties.

Financial Counseling — The financial burdens of a cancer diagnosis can weigh on patients and their families. An Adena financial counselor can help patients understand their insurance coverage and find additional financial resources to cover the cost of treatment.

Rehabilitation Services — Patients needing rehab services are referred to Adena Rehabilitation ServicesPatients with lymphedema, which is a swelling in the arms or legs commonly caused by the damage to the lymph nodes during treatment, may need rehab services, and patients recovering from treatment for head and neck cancer may be referred to speech therapy.

Pain Management — Some cancer therapies can cause pain in some patients. In fact, the Mayo Clinic reports that one person out of three undergoing treatment experiences pain. And if the cancer is advanced, the greater the likelihood of pain. The Adena Pain Management experts can help patients struggling with pain caused by treatment or the cancer itself.

Adena Hospice — With a focus on palliative and supportive care for you during a terminal illness and bereavement period, Adena Hospice allows patients to receive care at home whether they live in a traditional home or a contracted nursing facility.

To make things easier, we offer same-day scheduling for our patients’ appointments and tests. When you call, our goal is to schedule appointments within the next 72 hours. We are passionate about our patients and compassionate about their care, safety and best health.

Adena Health System
2022 Oncology Community Report

Conditions Treated

Anal Cancer
Bladder Cancer
Bone Cancer
Brain Cancer
Breast Cancer
Cervical Cancer
Colorectal Cancer
Esophageal Cancer
Head and neck Cancer
Hematologic (Blood) Cancer
Kidney Cancer
Leukemia
Liver Cancer
Lung Cancer
Lymphoma
Melanoma
Ovarian Cancer
Pancreatic Cancer
Penile Cancer
Prostate Cancer
Sarcoma
Skin Cancer
Stomach Cancer
Testicular Cancer
Uterine Cancer

Services and Treatments

At the Adena Cancer Center, our outstanding, comprehensive teams are currently providing the following services:

Cancer screening and imaging
Chemotherapy
Cryosurgery
Financial Counseling
Genetic Testing and Counseling
Hospice
Immunotherapy
Laparoscopic surgery
Nutrition services
Optune
Pain management
Radiation therapy
Rehabilitation
Robotic surgery
Social Services
Wig Program

Certified by the American College of Surgeons, the Adena Cancer Center provides advanced care, including chemotherapy medications and radiation to shrink and destroy tumors and surgical options to remove cancer. Adena also is using the latest immunotherapy that help the patient’s natural immune system fight the cancer. Plus, ongoing clinical trials offer patients access to the newest innovative cancer therapies.

Keeping track of appointments and understanding the treatment process can be overwhelming. Adena’s patient navigators are here to help patients and their families and caregivers manage treatment, answering questions and connecting them to valuable resources along the way.

Innovative Treatments

From radiation delivered with pinpoint precision through our state-of-the-art Trilogy® Linear Accelerator to the robotic daVinci® Si Surgical System that allows our surgeons to operate with tremendous accuracy, Adena Cancer Center offers the latest in high-tech cancer treatments. We’re on the cutting edge of medicine, too, using the latest biological agents to help the patient’s natural immune system fight cancer.

The Adena Cancer Center also has specialists in Hematology who diagnose and treat benign blood conditions such as anemia, low or high blood counts, bleeding disorders and clotting disorders.

At the Adena Cancer Center, you can expect outstanding, comprehensive care and service, along with the following:

Specialized cancer physicians
Multispecialty team approach to coordinate the best treatment options
Ongoing monitoring and evidence-based care
State-of-the-art services and equipment
Access to cancer-related information, education and support
Information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatment options
Cancer registry that collects data on type/stage of cancers/treatment results and offers lifelong patient follow-up
Quality care close to home

Clinical Trials

Adena patients get access to clinical trials

To learn more about the Adena Cancer Care Center, clinical trials, or to request an appointment, please call 740-542-3030.

New treatment options for cancer appear all the time, and part of the reason is clinical trials. As therapies are tested and proven to be more effective than the current standards — or to be equally as effective but with fewer side effects — they can move closer to being available for patients everywhere.

Adena Cancer Center is part of the Columbus Community Clinical Oncology Research Program (NCORP),a consortium of 14 institutions that bring groundbreaking research to local communities. Adena is also one of just three hospitals in a new NCORP program called Cancer Care Delivery Research (CCDR). The first study of the CCDR program will look at colon cancer patients, the cost of chemotherapy, and how it impacts their care.

Adena Cancer Center offers about 50 ongoing clinical trials for medication therapies for a wide range of cancers, including breast, colorectal, lung, and head-and-neck, as well as prostate, kidney, pancreatic and skin cancers.

The therapies being tested include chemotherapy drugs and biological agents as well as medications to reduce side effects of other treatment.

Benefits of research

Clinical trials at Adena provide patients with access to some of the most groundbreaking treatments in the country.

“A good research program is beneficial to our patients,” says Linda Kight, R.N., BSN, OCN, clinical trials nurse at the Adena Cancer Center. “You have access to new, innovative treatments, and you’re being monitored by some of the best doctors in the country.”

You can learn more about the benefits as well as potential risks from the National Institutes of Health. If you have questions about a trial or would like to enroll, talk to your cancer doctor, or ask to speak with the clinical trials nurse.

How clinical trials work

To effectively test a drug, trials must have strict, narrow criteria. So, to be eligible to participate in a drug trial, a patient must have a specific cancer at a certain stage, size, etc. Age and gender requirements are common as well.

Your doctor might recommend you be screened for eligibility for a clinical trial, or if you’re interested in learning more about open studies, call or email Linda Kight, R.N., BSN, OCN, clinical trials nurse at the Adena Cancer Center, at 740-542-3071.

Learn more about the clinical trial process from the National Cancer Institute.

Survivorship Clinic

In addition to monitoring for signs and symptoms of cancer recurrence, survivorship care focuses of identification, prevention and treatment of side effects associated with cancer and its treatments

After seeing an oncologist regularly for weeks, months, even years, many patients feel uneasy when treatment ends. That’s why Adena Cancer Center started the survivorship clinic — to help patients transition back to primary care in a way that makes them feel comfortable and confident.

The survivorship clinic adds more consideration for addressing treatment side effects as well as the need for rehabilitation and therapy. Each survivor leaves with a concise plan that states exactly what type of treatment they had that they can take to any doctors they need to see in the future.

During the survivorship visit, the nurse practitioner will:

Review patient’s medical history and perform physical exam
Review treatment summary: chemotherapy/ radiation and or surgery
Evaluate and manage any long term or late effects of cancer and treatment
Discuss ways to improve current health status / prevent new health problems
Discuss appropriate cancer screenings
Discuss recommended follow up care following cancer treatment
Arrange for the patient to see the nutritionist or social worker if needed
Provide the patient’s primary care physician Information about your treatment and care plan.
Provide you a copy of treatment summary and survivorship plan.

At this time survivorship clinics/visits are being scheduled for breast, colorectal and head and neck cancers. Patients with other cancer types should ask their doctor if a survivorship program is right for them. Please speak to you treatment team for more information.

To find out more about Adena Cancer Center's survivorship clinic, call 740-542-3030.

Support Groups

Young women’s breast cancer support group

Women ages 50 and younger with breast cancer encourage one another as they go through the diagnosis and recovery process. The group meets from 5 - 6 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every month in the Ribbons of Hope Conference and Education Room at the Adena Cancer Center. It is facilitated by Adena staff members Deb Bihl, CNP, and Becky Emerine, LSW. No registration is required. If you have questions, call the Adena Cancer Center at 740-542-3030.

Look good…feel better

This program is dedicated to improving self-esteem and quality of life for women who are undergoing cancer treatments. The American Cancer Society periodically hosts complimentary beauty sessions at the Adena Cancer Center. For a detailed schedule, visit lookgoodfeelbetter.org/programs or call 1-800-227-2345. Registration is required.

I can cope

This free educational program arms cancer patients and caregivers with straightforward facts about diagnosis and treatment. The American Cancer Society facilitates these community classes and can answer many of your cancer-related questions. To find or register for a class, call 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.