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Central Texas hospital provides options for patients battling cancer

Posted at 5:34 PM, Jun 13, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-14 19:35:21-04

Those battling breast cancer now have more options when it comes to making the decision of what is the best treatment for their breast cancer. 

Doctors at Providence Health Center say gone are the days of over-treating patients and recommending treatments that may possibly not work.

Oncologist Dr. Thomas Harris of Texas Oncology said there are tests available at Providence that will help physicians determine whether a patient can skip chemotherapy as a form of cancer treatment.

Patient-Nurse Navigator Toni Wallin has seen it all.

Wallin acts as a source of support for those battling the disease at Providence Health Center.

"When ladies do start losing their hair or having issues with eating, nausea vomiting problems like that, they'll contact me and ask is there something I can do."

Now Wallin has more options to offer her patients.

Harris says the test is simple and could save a person for dealing with horrible side effects.  

"The patient doesn't have to go through another biopsy, another test and we get that information back in about two to three weeks," said Harris.

Wallin says the test helps patients better deal with all the unknowns of battling the deadly disease.

"They have a lot of emotional factors going through their head, did I do the right treatment, did I do the right surgery, am I going down the right path, this helps them make an educated decision," said Wallin.

Doctors and nurses alike think this is only the beginning of better treatment.

"This is exciting technology there is a lot we can do with it and where I see it coming is not just for breast cancer but for a multitude of cancers," said Dr. Harris

The new information does not change previous recommendations for women to continue to get their annual mammograms.

Doctors say even though there have been medical advancements in cancer treatment, early detection is always the best cure.

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