The Commission on Cancer just announced the recipients of the 2007 Commission on Cancer Outstanding Achievement Award, and we are proud to share that Sky Ridge Medical Center has been honored with this prestigious recognition.
The Commission on Cancer Outstanding Achievement Award was designed to recognize cancer programs that strive for excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients. A facility receives the Outstanding Achievement Award following an on-site survey during which the facility demonstrates a Commendation level of compliance with seven standards that represent the full scope of the cancer program (cancer committee leadership, cancer data management, clinical services, research, community outreach and quality improvement). Only 15% of programs surveyed during 2007 received this award.
"We are honored to receive this recognition," says Maureen Tarrant, President and CEO of Sky Ridge. "We have assembled a team of compassionate, dedicated professionals who put our patients first each and every day. We are proud to offer this kind of care close to home and help make a difference in the lives of our patients and their families."
Medical Director of Radiation Oncology
Radiation Oncology is the medical specialty involving the treatment of cancer with ionizing radiation (also called radiotherapy or radiation therapy). Charles Mateskon, MD, became the Medical Director of Radiation Oncology at Sky Ridge Medical Center in November2008. In the following interview, Dr. Mateskon shares why he loves his job.
Q. Why did you pursue radiation oncology as your specialty?
A. As a medical student, I considered becoming a medical oncologist (medical oncologists diagnose and treat cancer patients using drug therapies, not radiation). I was fortunate to have been able to work with a truly wonderful radiation oncologist while I was a resident, and that experience influenced me a great deal. I am most happy with my choice to become a radiation oncologist.
Q. Tell me about your practice and your role at Sky Ridge.
A. I treat adults with a wide range of cancers – lung, breast, colon, lymphoma, head and neck, dermatological cancers and many more. Patients come from a number of sources – a number from the Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers (of which my practice is a part), and some who may have received treatment at other area hospitals, but live in this area and want a convenient location for radiation therapy. Many specialists in the region refer patients for treatment here because Sky Ridge has radiation oncologists present full time and has an expansive program.
Q. What do you value most about working with your patients?
A. My patients are the reason I do this. They are wonderful people with many needs, both emotional and medical. We strive to meet those needs by giving them excellent, compassionate care and high quality treatments. Even if we don't achieve a cure, I feel we provide emotional and physical comfort to make each patient's path easier.
Q. What are your greatest challenges as a physician treating cancer patients?
A. Our greatest challenge is to improve on both length and quality of life for our patients. We like to think we can help everyone, but in fact we can't cure every person. Cancer includes many diseases that can do unpredictable things; I work very hard to do everything I can to help, but sometimes the cancer wins.
Q. What advantages does Sky Ridge offer to cancer patients?
A. Patient care is our primary goal. We have an extraordinary, inter-disciplinary team that is an advocate for the patient. Aside from the depth of our medical team, we have created a soothing, healing environment in the Cancer Center as well as on our inpatient floor to help our patients through this challenging time. Our Cancer Care book provides our newly diagnosed patients with a wealth of information and support as they start treatment. In addition, we offer a complimentary cancer massage program, support groups, a cancer exercise program, lymphedema program and a volunteer program with survivors who offer reassurance and answer questions as only they can. I am quite proud of the depth of both the medical and emotional expertise that the Sky Ridge team offers.
Q. In your view, what will be the next important advances in radiation oncology?
A. To successfully treat a patient with cancer, we do everything we can to minimize side effects while maximizing the treatment of the tumor. Advances on the horizon will help us focus the radiation beam more precisely and avoid normal tissue. Sky Ridge will be soon be upgrading to a new treatment planning computer system, which will improve our ability to better target tumors during treatment. On-site PET imaging will also begin soon, and these scans will help to define the tumor more precisely. We can use the treatment planning system and the PET scan to design our radiation treatment fields.
Q. Is there anything you would like to communicate to your patients or their families that you don't usually get the opportunity to share?
A. I feel that the patients are in charge. I am here to serve them. We try to accommodate the patient's schedule, so it is convenient for him or her, rather than the other way around. I want to be there to make my patients' journey through cancer easier, and to make sure their needs are met. As part of meeting their needs, I try to maintain a sense of humor – not to be inappropriate, but because laughter is an important component of healing. Cancer treatment is not just about putting up with pain and suffering, it should be about living and enjoying life even if you happen to have cancer.
Our Philosophy
The Sky Ridge Cancer Center incorporates an interdisciplinary approach to patient care, working closely with surgeons, medical oncologists and other physicians as well as nutritionists, social workers and chaplains to provide a broad spectrum of care to our patients and their families.
We have also invested in the latest technology, including:
- Varian 21 EX linear accelerator (treatment machine) with 120 multi-leaf collimator and photon/electron modalities
- Ultrasound system for daily localization to deep tumors
- Radio camera for daily localization of tumors
- A range of immobilization devices for improved reproducibility
- 100% CT-based treatment planning
- Capable of merging with diagnostic CT, MRI and PET scans
- Conformal 3D radiation therapy
- Fully capable IMRT
- Partner for virtually any specialized radiation therapy services
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Terry Lackey, a prostate cancer survivor, and wife, Kathy, couldn't imagine going anywhere else for cancer care. The team at Sky Ridge Medical Center "was truly amazing — they became like family." |
We believe in the research aspect of our work, and are a consortium partner with Colorado Cancer Research Program. Nearly 100 research trials are open and available to our patients. In fact, several of our physicians are active, primary investigators in several national studies. And, most importantly, we have invested in our team, from our receptionists to our therapists, we have assembled a group of dedicated, experienced professionals.
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
IMRT is a high tech, computer driven means of modifying the radiation beam, as a function of time and space, to optimize radiation distribution, taking into account dose, volume and tolerance factors of tumor and normal structures. This highly conformal radiation therapy is achieved through the use of a multi-leaf collimator (MLC). The MLC allows the intensity of the beam to be varied over each field, from full intensity to any fraction approaching zero. The collimator’s leaves are like fingers and divide the field into narrow strips. Each finger can sweep across the field at a continuum of speeds ranging from slow to fast. This allows for a variation of the intensity of the beam across the field. Where the leaves move fast, the intensity is low. Where the leaves sweep slowly, the intensity is higher because the beam exposes that area for a greater time.
With IMRT, we can modulate the intensity of the beam so that when critical structures are within the field, they will be given less dose than areas where only tumor exists. In areas where both tumor and critical structures fall within the field, the intensity will be adjusted accordingly. When a variety of ports are used, the dose distributions become highly conformal. The tumor, regardless of its shape, is optimally covered and the dose can be very minimal to critical structures that are in proximity to the tumor. This process is called optimization and is a computer generated best fit.
Radio Camera Technology
Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers use a high-tech radio camera system, featuring patented optical technology to help ensure accuracy when performing the latest radiation treatments, such as IMRT and SRT, on patients with head and neck, breast, lung, prostate and brain cancer. The radio system gives physicians the ability to provide patients the best results by increasing the accuracy of the radiation dose, resulting in a possible decrease in side effects. The radio camera uses a laser technology to precisely target the cancerous tumors, reducing their mass. The camera system accurately relocates the tumor at each treatment session to accommodate for any movement. The radio camera’s markers define a coordinate system that is monitored in real time by two infrared cameras. An optical bite plate allows the camera system to be aligned with the patient at all times to minimize position change. The continuous reporting of a patient position during all phases of radiation delivery ensures accuracy and safety.
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