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Memorial Hermann Cancer Center-Southwest
Comprehensive Cancer ServicesCancer patients have more treatment options than ever before in their own community, thanks to advances in research and Memorial Hermann’s ongoing investment in quality care. Memorial Hermann Cancer Center-Southwest provides comprehensive oncology services, including:
- Medical/Surgical oncology
- Radiation therapy
- Diagnostic testing
- Inpatient and outpatient services
- Genetics testing
- Pain management
Cancer Center Main Line - 713.456.4028
Main Line to Hospital – 713.456.5000
Our clinical and research excellence has been recognized in these awards:
- America’s 50 Best Hospitals by HealthGrades®, a quality measure achieved by only 1 percent of hospitals nationwide.
- Approval from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, an award given to only 25% of cancer centers in the U.S.
Our board-certified doctors and specialized nurses are national leaders in oncology medicine, surgery and research. We look forward to working with you to ensure the best outcomes possible.
Memorial Hermann Southwest is proud to offer the Nurse Navigator service to its cancer patients. These expert guides are experienced oncology nurses who provide answers to questions, information about support groups, referrals to community resources and explanations about insurance and billing. Research has shown that having such a liaison and advocate helps patients achieve better outcomes.
The end of acute treatment for cancer does not equal the end of the cancer experience. Memorial Hermann has developed a sponsorship program focused on the survivor's well-being, including the physical, social, psychological and spiritual. Together with CanCare, we offer free quarterly cancer survivor seminars called, "Back to the Future: Living Life After Cancer" at various locations across Houston.
Additional cancer programs at Memorial Hermann Southwest include:
- Yoga for Cancer Survivors and Caregivers
- Empowerment Class for Newly Diagnosed Cancer Patients
- Breast Cancer Support Group
- Cancer Support Group
Among the differences found at the Memorial Hermann Southwest Breast Care Center, the use of specially trained, board-certified breast radiologists rather than general radiologists to read mammograms. Our full range of breast diagnostic services also includes digital screening and diagnostic mammography, the R2 Computer Aided Detection (CAD) System, breast ultrasound, stereotactic biopsy, breast ultrasound-guided needle biopsy and ductogram.
You can now schedule your screening mammogram online. Quick. Easy. Convenient.
Medical and radiation oncologists, surgeons, radiologists and pathologists meet weekly to discuss the specifics of care for individual patients. Progress is reviewed and best treatment options are discussed.
- Board-certified radiation oncologists
- Oncology-certified nurse specialists
- Accredited by The Joint Commission (TJC)
- Cancer Registry
- Community screening program
- Genetic counseling
- Integrative medicine
- Interpreters on site
- Nutritional and exercise counseling
- Palliative care
- Psychosocial counseling and support groups
- Research and clinical trials
- Resource library and cancer education
- Spiritual support
Advanced Radiation Treatment Technology
Memorial Hermann Southwest provides the latest technology to help its patients fight cancer with less scarring, shorter recovery periods and a quicker return to productivity. These advanced technologies include:
- Positron Emission Tomography/Cat Scan (PET/CT) combines the cancer-locating capability of PET imaging with the detailed anatomy imaging of CT to better determine a tumor’s size, location and whether internal structures are involved. Therapies such as IGRT and HDR can then precisely target a radiation dose to shrink a tumor while minimally affecting surrounding tissue.
- TrilogyTX creates 3-D images of a tumor to deliver incredibly precise doses of radiation even to very tiny cancers. It is one of only two such radiation therapy machines in Texas.
- Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) uses computer-generated images to precisely match radiation doses to the size and shape of a tumor, minimizing damage to surrounding tissue.
- Prostate Brachytherapy uses radioactive ‘seeds’ placed directly into the prostate gland to deliver radiation directly to the cancer cells, while minimizing radiation to normal tissues.
- High-Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy is used for breast, endometrial and lung cancers and delivers radiation directly to cancer cells, while minimizing damage to healthy cells.
- Accelerated Partial Breast Radiation is often an option for women with early stage breast cancer. After a lumpectomy, radiation is delivered twice a day for five days, eliminating the need for mastectomy or several weeks of external beam radiation.
- Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) treats brain tumors with the precise delivery of a single, high dose of radiation in a one-day session, minimizing the radiation delivered to healthy brain tissue.
- Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT), or extracranial stereotactic radiosurgery, precisely targets radiation to small-to medium-sized tumors while minimizing damage to nearby normal tissue in a single or limited number of doses.
- CT Simulation uses X-rays to create a detailed image of both the healthy and cancerous tissues, allowing doctors to tailor treatment to an individual’s needs.
The Trilogy Tx Linear Accelerator system is the first in a powerful new generation of cancer fighting technologies. The Trilogy Tx yields treatment times that are shorter, making the experience more comfortable for the patient. The precision of Trilogy Tx and its high-definition MLC allows you to spare healthy tissues to an extent that was unimaginable only a few years ago. The versatility of Trilogy Tx enables treatment of a wide variety of patients using a single machine.
All In One. Best In One.
- Dynamic high-resolution MLC for exquisite beam sculpting
- Choose from a broad range of external beam therapies, including 3D CRT, IMRT, IGRT, SRS, IGRS or DART using the Trilogy Tx system
- Multiple dose-rate options – up to 1,000mu/min for efficient SRS delivery
- Ultra-precise radio surgical treatments for a range of neurological conditions
- 2D and 3D KV image guidance for higher quality imaging at lower doses
- Stereotactic frame or frameless immobilization for patient positioning — treat any area of the body
- Real-time Position Management™(RPM) system for gating perfectly timed beam delivery with minimal margins
- Delivery verification and quality assurance in Argus Linac and Argus IMRT quality assurance software
Clinical benefits:
- Highest dose rate for shorter sessions
- Tight isocenter alignments on all three axes — targets the smallest lesions
- Rapid onboard imaging — reposition patients quickly and accurately
- Cone-BeamCT fine tunes patient set ups with ultra-precise CT scans
The versatile Trilogy Tx system delivers 3D conformal radiotherapy, IMRT, extracranial and intracranial stereotactic radiosurgery, fractionated stereotactic radiation therapy, stereotactic body radiosurgery (SBRT) and intensity-modulated radiosurgery for cancer and neurosurgical treatment.
Medical and Surgical Oncology
Board-certified
Medical Oncologists affiliated with The Memorial Hermann Cancer Center-Southwest
are available to coordinate your treatment. Medical oncologists establish and
evaluate the cancer diagnosis and determine the cancer’s stage. They then
provide cancer patients with expert guidance about their options and develop
the optimal treatment plan around their individual goals of care and continue
to monitor their progress through survivorship. Medical Oncologists may
recommend treating cancer by surgery or radiation therapy or by suggesting
medical treatments such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy or monoclonal antibody
therapy or other biological agents designed to arrest growth.
Our outpatient infusion suites were created to provide an alternative to
hospitalization for patients needing medical infusion or injection services.
Highly skilled chemotherapy-certified nurses and clinical pharmacists provide
specialized treatment in a convenient, comfortable and controlled setting.
Chemotherapy
can be used to cure specific cancers, to control tumor growth when a cure is
not possible, to relieve symptoms such as pain, to shrink tumors before surgery
or radiation therapy, or to destroy microscopic metastases after tumors are
surgically removed.
This
form of cancer treatment arrests or blocks hormone production. It stops cancer
cells from growing. Hormone therapy is often given to patients with early stage
breast or prostate cancer as well as when those cancer have spread to other
parts of the body.
This
targeted therapy is used to destroy unique proteins present in certain types of
cancers. Once the protein has been identified, it can be created artificially
in the laboratory. The cancer team can then create human antibodies against the
protein and destroy the tumor.
With over 10,000 laparoscopic procedures performed since 2003, the
surgeons at Memorial Hermann Southwest are experts in minimally invasive surgery
utilizing both robotic-assisted and advanced laparoscopic techniques along with
the most current advanced technologies and the support of dedicated,
credentialed staff for elective invasive interventions and 24-hour emergent
procedures.
In fact, we were one of the first hospitals in Houston to perform
many of these advanced surgeries. The hospital’s OR is noted for its capacity for accommodating
advanced laparascopic, robotic, and image-guided procedures, including single port
access and scarless surgery. We were recently ranked in the top 5 percent in the nation
for general surgery for the seventh year in a row.
Memorial Hermann Southwest Breast Care Center
The Memorial Hermann Southwest Breast Care Center offers several advantages over conventional screening facilities, including specially trained board-certified breast radiologists to read your mammogram, the latest technologies and techniques for diagnosis, and short wait times for appointments. These advantages ensure accurate results and reduce patient anxiety when a suspicious area is found.
Women who follow a three-point regimen of performing monthly self exams, undergoing annual exams by their doctors and getting an annual mammogram after age 40 can increase their breast cancer survival rate by up to 97 percent. Look to the Memorial Hermann Southwest Breast Care Center to learn more about proper breast screening.
Traditionally, general radiologists read breast mammograms. The Memorial Hermann Southwest Breast Care Center uses only specially trained board-certified breast radiologists to read your mammogram and perform breast procedures. Their experience and expertise brings patients the highest quality of care available in southwest Houston.
When you receive news of an abnormal reading from your screening mammogram, our Breast Care Center gets you in for a follow-up appointment within days. You do not have to wait weeks for a diagnosis.
You get answers faster, which helps reduce anxiety, and if needed, gets you into treatment sooner.
An important first step in breast care is the screening mammogram, the most accurate way to detect breast cancer today. We use superior, digital technology for all screenings to locate breast lumps and abnormalities with less discomfort, long before they can be felt. Digital mammography enhances the ability to detect breast cancer earlier in women who:
- Are under age 50
- Are premenopausal or perimenopausal
- Have very dense breast tissue
Using sonography, breast ultrasound can determine whether a lesion is a solid tumor or a fluid-filled cyst. It is especially useful in evaluating suspicious areas in the denser breast tissue of younger women.
This innovative biopsy method begins with digital mammography images. The images can be magnified or optimized for in-depth evaluation before the procedure and then used for a computer-guided needle to obtain microcalcifications from the breast tissue. The procedure takes place in the Breast Care Center rather than the surgery suite.
Ultrasound is used to guide a needle for more precise tissue removal when amass is seen on imaging.
This procedure can pinpoint defects in breast ducts. A dye is discharged into the duct and then the breast is imaged to expose possible problem areas.
- Specially trained and certified mammography and ultrasound technologists
- Dedicated board-certified breast radiologists
- Full-field digital screening mammography
- Accredited by the American College of Radiology (ACR), Texas State Department of Health Services (TSDHS) and the Joint Commission (JCAHO)
- Easy access off Southwest Freeway
- Comfortable spa-type robes
- Calm atmosphere
- Validated parking
Memorial Hermann Southwest Breast Care Center Hours
Monday-Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Nurse Navigator
A diagnosis of cancer means that
many patients and their families must make quick choices about a subject they
find scary and overwhelming. Memorial Hermann Cancer Center-Southwest now
offers the Nurse Navigator program, a complementary service, to help make this
difficult journey less confusing and less complicated.
The Nurse Navigator specializes in
oncology and acts as a patient client advocate and go-to person when you have
questions or need help navigating an often complicated medical system. A Nurse
Navigator’s role includes:
• Individual education about your
diagnosis, treatment options and side effects
• Information about support groups
and community resources
• Help with insurance issues
• Referrals to healthcare providers
and hospital services
• Assistance scheduling appointments
• Assistance with wigs and
prosthesis when applicable
• Emotional support through your
cancer journey to help you better cope and sustain the best quality of life
possible
The Oncology Nurse Navigator addresses patient
and family education, and serves as a liaison throughout the continuum of care.
The Oncology Nurse Navigator redefines the patient experience and ensures
quality outcomes by combining knowledge and skills with the support and
compassion all patients deserve.
Research shows that cancer patients who
have help navigating the medical system have better outcomes. Results have
shown that navigated patients:
• Were more likely to get recommended follow-up
tests
• Completed follow-up tests more quickly
• Showed improvements in cancer stage
at diagnosis after improved access to screenings
The Nurse Navigator works with your
cancer care team throughout your time with Memorial Hermann Southwest. We’re
committed to providing you with the information and support you need to make
informed decisions that can help increase your chance to live a long,
productive life. When you need help finding your way, call our Cancer Center Mainline
at 713.456.4028 and ask for the Nurse Navigator.
Research and Clinical TrialsAt one time, access to the latest cancer treatment was only available at the Texas Medical Center for residents of greater Houston. Now, the Memorial Hermann Cancer Center-Southwest offers a full array of new, innovative medications and techniques for cancer patients, closer to home.
Today’s cancer innovations are available now because yesterday’s patients were willing to test new treatments. Much of the research conducted at the Memorial Hermann Cancer Center-Southwest is sponsored by The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, private companies and federal government entities.
It is only through research that new treatments are available to help future generations of cancer patients. The benefits of participating in a clinical trial includes the following:
- Trial participants have access to promising new interventions that are generally not available outside of a clinical trial.
- The intervention being studied may be more effective than standard therapy. If it is more effective, trial participants may be the first to benefit from it.
- Trial participants receive regular and careful medical attention from a research team that includes doctors, nurses, and other health professionals.
- Trial participants are helping scientists learn more about cancer (e.g., how it grows, how it acts, and what influences its growth and spread).
You do not have to change doctors when you join a clinical trial at the Memorial Hermann Cancer Center-Southwest. We work with your existing doctors to coordinate your care, whether or not they are affiliated with Memorial Hermann. We also provide the added benefit of convenient parking on our campus.
By joining a clinical trial, you help doctors better understand how the human body works and how to improve cancer medications, treatment options, surgical devices and techniques.
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