Nevada Cancer Institute Celebrates Cancer Survivors

Expansion of Survivorship Clinic services and free community lecture mark the month

For Immediate Release

Contact: Jennifer McDonnell, (702) 821-0082 or jmcdonnell@nvcancer.org
Alison Monaghan, (702) 737-3100 or amonaghan@kirvindoak.com

Las Vegas, June 8, 2009 - To honor cancer survivors during the month of June, Nevada Cancer Institute (NVCI) is pleased to announce expansion of its survivorship services as well as a free community lecture about survivorship.

Around the country, cancer survivors are honored every year during June. National Cancer Survivors Day is observed on June 7.

At NVCI, care and treatment does not end after a “cancer free” diagnosis. The Survivorship Clinic at NVCI is now open to breast cancer survivors for both NVCI patients and non-NVCI patients.

As part of the free NVCI Cancer Conversation Lecture Series, and to celebrate cancer survivors, Karen Milligan, M.D., will present “Survivorship: Making It Through the Cancer Journey” on June 24 at noon. Dr. Milligan is a dedicated member of the breast cancer oncology team at NVCI and head of NVCI’s Survivorship Clinic.

The Survivorship Clinic is believed to be the first of its kind in Nevada; it was created to meet a need in the community. The clinic is partly supported by grants through the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The clinic is for breast cancer patients who are no longer receiving chemotherapy or radiation.

Major advances in cancer prevention, early detection and treatment have resulted in longer survival rates. However, surviving cancer can leave a host of problems in its wake.

“There is a large and growing need for this type of service and support for today’s cancer survivors,” said Dr. Milligan. “As the number of survivors continues to grow, survivorship clinics will become part of standard treatment.”

Cancer survivors may face physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and financial challenges as a result of their cancer diagnosis and treatment. The Survivorship Clinic at NVCI focuses on survivorship and quality of life issues such as the coordination of care, patient-provider communication, palliative care, pain management, and healthy and active lifestyles.

Survivorship clinics allow for a patient to interact with multiple specialties including clinical services, wellness, physical therapy, nutrition services and pain management all in one setting. All of a patient’s needs for a healthy, active life are met at one time in one place. NVCI works with survivors in a specialized survivorship clinic that focuses on the full continuum of care long after cancer treatment has ended.

Survivorship issues are a growing concern and area of interest in the medical community. The National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control have both identified cancer survivorship as an area for clinical need and research. There are an estimated 60,000 cancer survivors in Nevada and more than 11 million cancer survivors in the United States.

“There are a lot of Nevadans living with their disease: living with ongoing treatment, side effects of therapy and the long-term consequences of their diagnosis,” Dr. Milligan, said.

Patients who take part in The Survivorship Clinic at NVCI meet with Melissa Morrison, advanced nurse practitioner, for a full comprehensive evaluation and to plan out an after-cancer treatment care plan for the next five, 10 and even 15 years. Rebecca Garrett, M.D., who is board certified in rehabilitation, also meets with patients to assess pain management concerns and rehabilitation after treatment. Patients meet with Amy Patton, R.D., CSO, CNSD, NVCI’s resident oncology certified dietician, to create a dietary plan. Wellness Coordinator Hilary Harper, E.D., CHES, works with patients to create individual strength and training exercise plans, both to help with weight gain and loss issues, as well as to help prevent lymphedema, common in breast cancer survivors. Margo Otto, M.S.W., M.A., L.S.W., NVCI’s medical social worker, also works with Survivorship Clinic patients to make sure emotional and social needs are met.

The Institute’s goal is to eventually expand The Survivorship Clinic at NVCI to include all tumor types.

Fast Facts:

• More people diagnosed with cancer are surviving each year.
• The overall five-year survival rate for adults diagnosed with cancer in 1996 to 2003 is 65 percent.*
  * Ries LAG, et al (eds). SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2005, National Cancer Institute, 2008.

More Information:

http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/survivorship/ (Cancer Survivorship Facts and Resources) http://dccps.nci.nih.gov/ocs/ (Cancer Survivorship Research, NCI)http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/survivorship/pdf/0809_survivorship_fs.pdf (CDC Survivorship Fact Sheet)

About Nevada Cancer Institute

Nevada Cancer Institute (NVCI) is the official cancer institute for the State of Nevada. A nonprofit organization, NVCI is committed to reducing the burden of cancer by pursuing the development of a comprehensive cancer research institute, as defined by the National Cancer Institute. Through the knowledge and expertise of the finest scientists, clinicians, educators and caregivers, the Institute provides hope to communities in Nevada, the southwest and beyond through research, education, early detection, prevention and high quality patient care. NVCI is striving for a future without cancer that is achieved through initiated and collaborative research in basic, clinical and population science. For more information, please visit www.nevadacancerinstitute.org or call (702) 822-LIFE.