Very little about cancer can be considered positive. It’s a frightening
diagnosis and a challenging journey to recovery. Torrance Memorial Hunt
Cancer Institute is committed to providing the best cancer care in the
South Bay. And with the new alliance with Cedars-Sinai, patients will
have more access to cutting-edge technologies and clinical trials, just
for starters. In a word, the partnership is changing everything. Here
are just a few of the reasons Torrance Memorial is the first step on the
road to recovery.
1 The Hunt Cancer Center
The Hunt Cancer Center will have one focus: to serve the patient. The Center
will consolidate many of Torrance Memorial’s existing cancer treatment
services—the new building, due to open in September 2019, will house
nurse navigators, genetic counseling services, the Torrance Memorial team
of oncology experts as well as Cedar-Sinai specialists and clinical research
trials with Cedars-Sinai. Even the parking (this is Los Angeles after
all) has been designed with cancer patients and their support teams in
mind. “We wanted a comfortable environment,” says Heidi Assigal,
vice president of business and operations for Torrance Memorial Health
System. “The environment will be relaxed and open—yet private
and efficient—allowing patients to feel comfortable where they really
will be spending a lot of time.” This starts with the 32 chemotherapy
infusion service areas. “They’ll be quiet, with internet and
TV and plenty of room, while still giving staff a good visual connection
and helping patients not feel shut off. I think we struck a good balance
in the new center.” The key, says Assigal, will be the care clusters—groups
of four so each nurse can focus on their group and patients can feel that
personal attention. Even the exam rooms reflect the reality of treating
cancer patients. “Some really important conversations take place
there,” she says. We tried to think of everything.”
2 Doctors Leading the Fight
David Chan, MD, director of breast cancer clinical research for Torrance
Memorial Physician Network, is heading up a team whose work could change
how cancer is treated. “We are currently working on a clinical trial
using immunotherapy that may lead to new treatment avenues for certain
types of breast cancers,” says Chan. “Torrance Memorial is
one of only five centers in North America selected for this potentially
groundbreaking study.”
“David Chan is a rare combination of leading cancer researcher and
empathetic, patient-oriented physician,” says Heidi Assigal. Chan,
who will join several oncologists in the Hunt Cancer Institute, also literally
wrote the book on breast cancer—and has authored 17 studies on breast
cancer. Good hands, indeed.
3 New Partnership with Cedars-Sinai
Earlier this year Torrance Memorial announced a formal affiliation with
Cedars-Sinai, one of the nation’s foremost academic health systems.
The goal of this new affiliation is to bring the resources and expertise
of Cedars-Sinai’s clinical specialties and programs to the South
Bay. From oncology to neuroscience to advanced medical research and clinical
trials, this partnership will expand our community’s access to the
best in medical care.
In certain specialties—including all types of cancer—Cedars-Sinai
physicians will partner with Torrance Memorial physician leaders to help
our patients access the latest clinical trials, new treatments and advanced
technology.
As our relationship with Cedars-Sinai continues to grow, we fully expect
the benefits and opportunities for our patients to expand.
“At Torrance Memorial, we already have very high quality and patient
experience ratings, new facilities and equipment and a great staff,”
says CEO Craig Leach. “The addition of the Cedars-Sinai relationship
will only strengthen our foundation as the South Bay’s premier hospital
system.”
4 On-Site Genetic Counselor
Imagine learning you carry a gene mutation that puts you at higher risk
of cancer or that may explain why you developed cancer. It would potentially
impact not only your health situation but also those of your family members.
It’s not the kind of news you’d want to receive or discuss
over the phone.
That’s why the Hunt Cancer Institute has a genetic counselor on-site.
An expert in both genetics and counseling, Lauren Rudichuk, MS, CGC, is
right where patients need her to provide medical guidance and emotional
support. “Genetic counseling is a key component of multidisciplinary
care for cancer,” says Rudichuk. “And this can be difficult
information for people to hear and absorb. Having someone to connect with
in person can make a big difference.”
5 Nurse Navigators
Getting a diagnosis of cancer is devastating enough. But as anyone who
has tackled cancer knows, it’s just the beginning. The journey toward
treatment can be almost as overwhelming as the disease itself.
This is where the nurse navigator program at Torrance Memorial’s
Hunt Cancer Institute steps in. Nurse navigators guide patients along
the path to recovery by helping them make informed medical decisions,
assisting with scheduling multiple doctors' appointments and tests,
making sure they stay on track with their treatment plans, running interference
on insurance issues and offering emotional support. All this is at no
additional charge to patients.
The ultimate success for a patient, of course, is survival. And Torrance
Memorial is uniquely equipped to lead a patient through that phase as
well. Cancer survivorship coordinator Miriam Sleven, RN, MS, OCN segues
patients as they complete treatment and move forward with their lives.
“One of my most important roles is as a coach,” Sleven says.
“I help survivors practice talking to their doctors and asking questions,
so they will get the answers they need.”
Bottom line: The program is a shining beacon of guidance and hope. “We
help patients not fall between the cracks,” says nurse navigator
Wendy Nuval Bacerra, RN.
6 Tumor Board
One of Torrance Memorial’s cornerstones, the Tumor Board brings a
crucial, multidisciplinary approach to all types of cancers. Nurse navigators,
surgeons, pathologists, oncologists, radiologists and more meet weekly
to address prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment plans and
survivorship. All these experts collaborate on the best treatment plan
for every stage and every possibility.
“Patients see and appreciate how comprehensive this approach is,”
says Andrew Horodner, MD, chairman of Torrance Memorial’s Tumor
Board, oncologist and hematologist with Torrance Memorial Physician Network.
“We spend as much time as needed on each case, and our team is well
coordinated and collegial. We look at everything involved, from cellular,
genetic and pathology charateristics to imaging, to ensure we provide
a personalized treatment plan for each and every patient."
7 Cancer Clinical Trials
A robust clinical trial program and a growing partnership with Cedars-Sinai
means the physicians at Torrance Memorial are advancing the field of cancer
care—and giving patients access to some of the most promising cancer
treatments years before they become available to the public.
Torrance Memorial is one of only five medical centers in North America
that is participating in the latest research to learn more about the role
of androgen receptors in breast cancer. And the hospital is also participating
in clinical trials to explore how different lung cancer treatments can
be combined to increase effectiveness and improve patients’ quality of life.
“We plan to leverage our relationship with Cedars-Sinai to expand
our clinical trial offerings while providing the best cancer care for
our patients,” said Hugo Hool, MD, chairman of Torrance Memorial’s
oncology committee, director of the Hunt Cancer Institute and oncologist
and hematologist at the Torrance Memorial Physician Network.
8 TrueBeam Radiation Therapy
The very word “radiation” can be terrifying. It also can be
an important treatment tool. The good news: Torrance Memorial is utilizing
the latest in radiation therapy, TrueBeam, a state-of-the-art linear accelerator
that helps zero in on tumors while sparing normal tissue.
“The TrueBeam has two great strengths: high precision and flexibility,”
notes Thyra Endicott, MD, a radiation oncologist at the Hunt Cancer Institute.
“It can be used for treating tiny tumors with very tight dose margins
and highly exact setup, and it can be used to treat broader areas if the
cancer has already spread to adjacent lymph nodes.”
Qinan Bao, the lead physicist working with TrueBeam, notes that it enables
better treatment by targeting the tumor volume more precisely. As a result,
it “gives a smaller dose to the critical organs, so the patient
may experience fewer side effects.”
And because normal tissue is less likely to be damaged, higher doses of
radiation can be delivered. If a patient is a good candidate for the therapy,
a team of experts will develop the best course of treatment. “It’s
a wonderful machine,” Endicott says, “but the people behind
it are the most important variable.”
9 3-D Breast Imaging
The battle against breast cancer continues at Torrance Memorial Medical
Center, and one of the best weapons today is 3-D mammography. Board-certified
radiologist Patricia Sacks, MD, is medical director of the Polak Breast
Diagnostic Center. “The center has always been at the cutting edge
of diagnosis,” Sacks says. “For instance, our 3-D mammography
is now 41% more accurate, which reduces the number of callbacks we have
to do by at least 40%; those callbacks make women really nervous.”
A conventional mammogram creates a two-dimensional image of the breast
from two X-ray images of each breast. Several studies have found that
3-D mammograms find more cancers than traditional 2-D mammograms and also
reduce the number of false positives. And a three-year analysis published
by JAMA Oncology found the benefits last over time. While 3-D imaging
may soon be the standard of care, only Torrance Memorial offers it in
all five of its breast centers.
For information on mammography or any of the other services offered at
the Polak Breast Diagnostic Center, please call 310-517-4709.
10 Bronchoscopy
Lung cancer is more common than you think, causing more deaths from cancer
than breast, prostate and colon cancer combined. While smokers have a
high risk of developing lung cancer, nonsmokers can get it too.
Diagnosing lung cancer early and finding tumors when they’re still
small can help improve patient outcomes, says John T. Abe, MD, a physician
at Torrance Memorial Physician Network. board-certified in pulmonary and
critical care medicine.
There are different types of bronchoscopy; one of the latest is electromagnetic
navigation bronchoscopy (ENB), says Abe. This cutting-edge diagnostic
tool, can biopsy areas of the lungs that previously could only be biopsied
by performing invasive surgery and opening a patient’s chest.
“Another important diagnostic tool we use is endobronchial ultrasound,”
Abe adds, “which allows us to sample mediastinal lymph nodes without
surgery and assists in appropriately assigning a stage to patients with
lung cancer." In addition, a lung CT scan can find tumors early,
also without invasive surgery. "We treat patients as an interdisciplinary
team, calling on our experts in pulmonary medicine, critical care, cardiothoracic
surgery, oncology and radiation oncology to provide the best treatment
for each.”
11 Liquid Biopsies
A new type of biopsy is under investigation at Torrance Memorial, and it
may change the way we detect and treat cancer.
The new method is known as a liquid biopsy and it is much less invasive
than a standard biopsy, which can require surgery. Instead, it analyzes
DNA or other genetic material produced from tumor cells circulating in
the blood.
In partnership with liquid biopsy companies, three clinical trials are
currently underway at the Hunt Cancer Institute. A national multicenter
feasibility trial is developing a DNA/RNA blood test to diagnose breast
cancer in its early stages. Another trial aims to better diagnose lung
cancer so patients will need fewer scans and biopsies.
Detection is just one of the hopes for liquid biopsies. A third clinical
trial is identifying specific genetic markers or mutations that can help
physicians choose the most appropriate course of care. Though all studies
are in the development phase, the promise of liquid biopsies is great,
and Torrance Memorial is at the forefront of this exciting technology.
12 Team Collaboration
Sometimes one plus one equals three. That’s what thoracic surgeon
Clark Fuller, MD, says of the partnership between Torrance Memorial and
Cedars-Sinai. “It’s a blending that truly benefits patients,”
he explains.
Take Fuller himself. A full-time faculty member at Cedars-Sinai, his current
collaboration with Torrance Memorial andCedars-Sinai was a good model
for how the two teams could work together. His specialty is lung surgery,
which traditionally requires a large incision—but the minimally
invasive techniques he pioneered reduce both the incision and the recovery
time. Hospital stays decrease from an average of nine days to two, and
recovery times are measured in weeks not months. Only 40% of thoracic
surgery performed in the United States is minimally invasive, Fuller says,
and Cedars-Sinai is “the epicenter of that certainly in the Western
hemisphere, if not the world.”
World-class care relies on an interdisciplinary approach, bringing surgeons,
oncologists and others together to take on and defeat cancer. Torrance
Memorial, Cedars-Sinai and doctors like Fuller will take that teamwork
to new heights.
13 Cancer Support Groups
“The first thing people say [after diagnosis] is ‘Why me?’”
says Kristel Quinto, the new psychosocial coordinator of oncology services
at Torrance Memorial. She’s charged with starting new groups to
support the existing women’s, men’s, head and neck, lung cancer,
breast reconstruction and mastectomy groups.
“When you’re in a peer support group, you don’t feel
so alone,” Quinto asserts. “You might still feel overwhelmed,
but there’s nothing like knowing you can talk to people going through
the same thing. The groups provide a safe environment where everyone embraces
you with love and kindness.”
Quinto says the gatherings are very positive and are led by expert facilitators—some
of whom are cancer survivors themselves—who have a special passion
for advocating and supporting the members. “Our goal as a team is
to make sure that our patients and their families receive a balance of
support in achieving physical, emotional, social and spiritual wellness
for better health outcomes.” All the groups deal with a wide variety
of types of cancer. For more, search support groups at
TorranceMemorial.org
14 Teaming Up to Beat Breast Cancer
Torrance Memorial’s entire cancer care team—which includes
male and female breast cancer specialists—is committed to delivering
leading-edge breast cancer care in a warm, compassionate and supportive
environment. But some women who have breast cancer may feel more comfortable
or supported discussing certain health issues with a female health care provider.
That’s why our breast cancer patients have the option to choose female
health care providers—including a radiologist, medical oncologist,
radiation oncologist, breast cancer surgeon, plastic reconstructive surgeon
and nurse navigator—for all aspects of their breast cancer care.
“A female breast cancer patient may feel more comfortable expressing
concerns or talking about sensitive issues with a female health care provider,”
said Vanessa Dickey, MD, an oncology hematology specialist at Torrance
Memorial Physician Network. “If we can cut through that embarrassment,
it will make the patient feel more at ease and give them one less thing
to worry about.”
15 The da Vinci Robot
R2-D2 in the operating room? Well, almost. Under the watchful eye—and
hands—of skilled surgeons, major operations become minimally invasive
procedures thanks to a robot. The da Vinci Surgical System offers surgeons
increased precision compared to other types of surgery, and patients experience
less pain, decreased blood loss and shorter recuperation time.
Torrance Memorial began using the system in 2006 and has a skilled robotic
surgery team led by Hoa Van, RN, BSN. Robotic surgery greatly improves
the experience of cancer patients, says surgeon Ramin Mirhashemi, MD.
"We are at the cutting edge at Torrance Memorial Medical Center, there
is no doubt in my mind," he says.
16 Woman to Woman Program
Since 1993 the Woman to Woman Image Enhancement program has helped hundreds
of female cancer patients feel attractive. Losing hair due to cancer treatment
can trigger depression. This free service, which provides assistance with
scarves, hats, wig-liners and other resources, bolsters women’s
confidence, says Miriam Sleven, RN, MS, OCN, cancer survivorship coordinator
at Torrance Memorial's Cancer Resource Center. For an appointment,
please call 310-517-4660.
17 Cancer Survivors Day
“It’s a celebration of survivors and their loved ones, an acknowledgement
of the team that got them through. It’s a celebration of success,”
Miriam E. Sleven, RN, MS, OCN enthuses about National Cancer Survivors
Day at Torrance Memorial, observed annually with a dinner, a banner to
sign and speakers who include doctors and patients telling their stories.
“Dinner is served by our Luminaries and Novas volunteers. One year
we had a patient who juggled while he spoke; another we had a jokologist,”
Sleven continues. “From my perspective it’s a great, uplifting
event, and I know the patients, families and staff who attend feel the
same. It’s a beautiful celebration.”
18 There’s No Place Like Home: Torrance Memorial Home Health
Torrance Memorial has a reputation as an excellent hospital. But the medical
center provides top-notch services beyond its walls. Case in point: its
award-winning home care-providing agency. The truth is, I don’t
know how we would have made it through this past year without Torrance
Memorial Home Health. My 86-year-old dad, Thomas Farrell, has been participating
in a clinical trial for acute myeloid leukemia—a disease with a
very dire prognosis at his age. The trial put him in remission, but he
has needed twice weekly blood draws to monitor his counts and home hydration
to help him recover from chemotherapy treatments.
This award-winning department, headed by Theresa Ferry, RN, BSN, MBA, CHCA,
supplies nurses and other staff who make visits to patients’ homes
to provide services such as blood draws and infusions. “We’re
focused on a high bar for quality,” Ferry says.
The amazing nurses also helped us organize his medications. Their skill,
compassion and professionalism helped us get through a few really rough
patches. They truly are angels from heaven. •