the newsletter of the shaw regional cancer center Second Quarter 2010

Shaw Regional Cancer Center • 322 Beard Creek Road • Edwards, CO 81632 • 970-569-7429

The Newsletter of the Shaw Regional Cancer Center Second Quarter 2010

Shaw Regional Cancer Center • 322 Beard Creek Road • Edwards, CO 81632 • 970-569-7429

RadiaTiON ONCOlOgyShaw Regional Cancer CenterPatricia Hardenbergh, MD | 970-569-7429Brachytherapy, Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), External Beam Therapy (EBT)

MEdiCal ONCOlOgy/hEMaTOlOgyShaw Regional Cancer CenterAlexander Urquhart, MD | 970-569-7429Chemotherapy, Monoclonal Antibodies, Benign Hematology, Cancer High Risk, Breast Clinic, Hereditary Cancer Clinic

UROlOgy Northstar UrologyConnie Wolf, MD & Stephen Mohr, MD970-569-7725Specializing in the surgical treatment of all Urological Diseases including Prostate, Kidney, and Bladder Cancer

SURgERy Mountain Surgical associatesReginald Franciose, MD, James Downey, MD Andrew Lawrence, MD & Barry Hammaker, MD 970-479-5036Breast Surgery, Surgical Oncology, General Surgery, Laparoscopic Surgery

PlaSTiC SURgERy Vail institute for aesthetics & Reconstructive SurgeryJeffrey Resnick, MD | 970-569-7656Reconstructive, Aesthetic/Cosmetic, Pediatric

CliNiCal ONCOlOgy PhaRMaCiST Shaw Regional Cancer CenterKrista Voytilla, Pharm.D, BCOPEnsuring safe delivery of chemotherapy, immunotherapy; providing supportive care and patient education

BREaST iMagiNg Sonnenalp Breast diagnostic imaging CenterJanice Ugale, MD | 970-569-7690Digital Mammography, Ultrasound Guided Breast and Stereotactic Biopsy Needle Localizations

NUTRiTiON/diET Shaw Regional Cancer CenterMelaine Hendershott, RD | 970-569-7429Re-energizing the Body, Build Immune Defenses

gENETiC COUNSElOR Shaw Regional Cancer CenterMelanie Taylor, MS, CGC | 970-569-7429Hereditary Risk Assessment, Physical Therapy

PhySiCal ThERaPy Shaw Regional Cancer CenterChristine Hasselbach, DPT, CLT | 970-569-7429Improving Range of Motion, Generalized and Core Strengthening, Lymphedema Education, Improving Cardiovascular Function, Decreasing Pain

CaNCER COUNSElOR Shaw Regional Cancer CenterVanessa Lewis, MSW, OSWC | 970-569-7429Patient, Family and Group Support, Emotional and Financial Issues

ExERCiSE PhySiOlOgy Shaw Regional Cancer CenterDustin Buttars, CES, EP | 970-569-7429Decreased Fatigue, Increased Range of Motion, Weight loss, Improved Cardiovascular Endurance and Functional Capacity, Increased Self-esteem and Energy

The Shaw Outreach Team (SOT) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting patients of the Shaw Regional Cancer Center. This group of community volunteers

spearheaded the campaign to build Jack’s Place and more recently helped raise money for an onsite PET/CT Scanner at Shaw.

The SOT’s main fundraiser is the annual Hike, Wine and Dine for Jack’s Place. In this unique and fun event participants hike the Village-to-Village trail on Beaver Creek Mountain. Along the way, some of the finest restaurants in the area have food and beverage stations setup allowing time to relax and take in the beautiful

scenery. Mark your calendars the 2010 event will be held on September 26th.

“ Jack’s Place makes this whole scary topsy turvy cancer ordeal a bit easer to take. Thank You!”

For more information, please call 970-569-7644.

Join us for Hike, Wine & Dine

Jack’s Place relies on the generosity of guest donations, fundraisers and philanthropy to meet operating costs.

Please send donations to Jack’s Place, PO Box 2559, Edwards, CO 81632 or online at www.shawcancercenter.com.

a place to stay during cancer treatment, Jack’s Place, A Cancer Caring HouseJack’s Place provides convenient and comfortable accommodations for patients, caregivers, and family members during treatment at the Shaw Regional Cancer Center. Named after Dr. Jack Eck, a longtime and beloved Vail-area doctor, Jack’s Place provides a wonderful haven of tranquility and well-being for the patients of the Shaw.

Since opening in March of 2007, Jack’s Place has provided more than two thousand five hundred nights of comfortable accommodations for those seeking treatment at the Shaw and their families. The guests who stay at the House come from many of the surrounding counties including Chaffee, Garfield, Lake, Pitkin, Routt, Moffat and Summit.

“ It is a lovely establishment and so convenient rather than driving back and forth from Frisco to receive treatment.”

322 Beard Creek RoadEdwards, CO 81632

how to help

322 Beard Creek RoadEdwards, CO 81632970-569-7429

Prevention. Treatment.Survivorship.

Multidisciplinary Cancer Care Team

Shaw Regional Cancer Center

Shaw Regional Cancer Center • 322 Beard Creek Road • Edwards, CO 81632 • 970-569-7429 Shaw Regional Cancer Center • 322 Beard Creek Road • Edwards, CO 81632 • 970-569-7429

The Newsletter of the Shaw Regional Cancer Center Second Quarter 2010 The Newsletter of the Shaw Regional Cancer Center Second Quarter 2010

Shaw Regional Cancer Center • 322 Beard Creek Road • Edwards, CO 81632 • 970-569-7429

Rudi Neumayr

“I have lived in this community for more than 30 years,” says Neumayr. “It feels great to give back to those who give us so much. Our doctors have always been here for patients and ask so little of us.”

Giving Backto the

Community

Breast imaging at the Sonnenalp

Breast CenterSurvivor Story

hereditary Risk for Colon CancerInformation about breast cancer genes gets attention in news media regularly. What roles does genetics play in other forms of cancer? Melanie Taylor, Certified Genetic Counselor, provides the following information on the genes that cause hereditary risk for colorectal cancer.

The genes that cause risk for colorectal cancer are as important as the breast

cancer gene when it comes to identifying and preventing cancer risk.

There are several genes that when altered cause increased risk for colon cancer (and other related cancers). Individuals who inherit these genes may undergo colon screening more frequently or have the option of risk-reducing surgeries.

The Hereditary Cancer Service at the Shaw Cancer Center offers risk assessment for hereditary colorectal cancer. Individuals with a personal or family history of the following may benefit from this service:

• Colon polyps at a younger age than usual (40 years old or younger)

• Development of more colon polyps than usual (10 or greater on one scope, or 15 or greater cumulative)

• Colorectal and/or uterine cancer prior to age 50

• An individual with more than one related cancer, or multiple family members with a combination of related cancers

• Related cancers include colon, uterine, ovarian, stomach, pancreatic, small bowel, urinary tract, and brain

For questions about The hereditary Cancer Service, please contact Melanie Taylor at 970-569-7626.

At the Shaw Cancer Center we often are asked if sugar can “feed” cancer. Our Oncology Pharmacist, Krista Voytilla, and our Oncology

Dietitian, Melaine Hendershott, would like to help cancer patients understand the role of sugar in their diet.

Krista Voytilla, Pharmd and Melaine hendershott Rd explain the facts about sugar:

Our bodies use sugar, also referred to as glucose, to fuel almost every cell in the body. Even if you remove all glucose from your diet, your body will convert protein and fat into sugar because it is so essential to the survival of healthy cells!

The real troublemaker is eating too much simple sugar, like soda, white bread, and sweets. Simple sugar stimulates release of insulin, which can signal cells to grow. While, insulin influences both healthy and cancerous cells it is important to balance the amount of insulin in the body. Our bodies need insulin to function, but too much insulin production may be unhealthy. Insulin also stimulates the release of other growth factors further encouraging cell growth.

What can you do to reduce insulin release? Eating a well balanced diet including protein, fat and fiber will help to reduce insulin spikes. Consuming simple sugars with protein, fat and fiber create less insulin release than if simple sugars were consumed alone.

Moderation is the key. Here are some tips to healthy balanced food choices:

c Eat naturally occurring sugar, like that found in fruit.

d�Avoid concentrated sugar sources like soda and fruit drinks. Fruit drinks with 100% fruit juice are okay in moderation.

d�Limit desserts to a few times a week and watch the portion size.

c Look for whole, healthy, unprocessed foods like vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, peas, nuts and seeds.

For more information about nutrition contact Melaine hendershott at 970-569-7614.

$1.35 Million grant awarded to hardenbergh by aSCO Cancer Foundation and Susan g. Komen for the Cure

Patricia Hardenbergh M.D. and Director of Radiation Oncology at Shaw Regional Cancer Center was recently one of two recipients awarded a $1.35 million grant to improve cancer treatment for those living in rural areas by the ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) Cancer Foundation and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Ann H. Partridge, MD, MPH of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is the other recipient of the grant.

“I proposed a project called ‘Chartrounds’,” says Hardenbergh. “The program will improve cancer care in community hospitals, a setting where 85% of patients in the U.S. receive cancer care.”

The impact of Chartrounds will

be immediate and will connect the two usually separate worlds of oncology: academia and the community hospital, both fields in which Hardenbergh has extensive experience. Using the web rural oncologists can consult with experts on treatment plans and procedures.

“An example of Chartrounds application would be if a patient were to present at Shaw with an unusual type of breast cancer that I’ve only seen a handful of times. Using Chartrounds, the patient benefits by my ability to expedite collaboration with a specialist through the use of web technology,” explains Hardenbergh. “The program puts the best of the best in infinitely specialized areas at the fingertips of rural oncologists; this raises the bar for treatment of the 85% who receive care close to home.”

Chartrounds also develops and implements a tool to score

the competency of treatment administered by oncologists who use the program. The scoring and measurement tools proposed in Chartrounds, coupled with a peer review process, mean that there will be immediate improvements in the technical delivery of radiation therapy.

“Improvements in the care received by patients, in its most important translation, means more patients who are cured of cancer,” adds Hardenbergh. “There will be clear advantages right away in using this program.”

The grant, which is $2.7 million total (divided equally by both recipients) is the largest awarded to date by the ASCO Cancer Foundation and marks the organization’s first in its Improving Cancer Care grants program. The Improving Cancer Care program is in collaboration with Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Meet the Care Team

Meet John Sweet, MS Medical Physicist at the Shaw

What is your role at the Shaw Regional Cancer Center?My responsibilities here revolve around problem solving, quality control, new technology implementation and regulatory compliance. Radiation therapy is a complex discipline that combines medicine with the complex technology of radiation production and computer controls. I spend considerable time testing our treatment systems to verify proper operation, comply with regulations and ensure that the treatments are delivered in accordance with the physician’s plan. I review the technical aspects of every patient’s treatment prior to and throughout their treatment. When our physician is interested in new methods of treatment, I help implement these from a technical standpoint.

My family has vacationed in Vail for about 30 years, and I saw an opportunity to work in a top tier cancer center located in a place I love.

What are the aspects of being a physicist that you enjoy most?I have a rewarding career that lets me combine my love of science with medicine and helps people in need. I enjoy the times that I get to interact directly with patients, generally when there are technical details that need to be worked out for their treatment.

Is there a specific technology employed at the Shaw that interests you?I am amazed at what we can do with our skilled physician and High Dose Radiation (HDR) implant treatments. Every patient is unique and each treatment highly customized with this technique. It is labor-intensive but fascinating.

What is something about yourself that would surprise other members of the Shaw’s Cancer Care Team? Many of the team don’t know that I am an identical twin.

Patricia Hardenbergh M.D. of Shaw, Receives Grant to Improve Cancer Care in Rural Areas

Myths and Truth about Sugar and Cancer“ I truly believe they saved

my life,” Joyce said.“Their persistence and desire to be thorough led to the detection of the colon cancer early enough that it hadn’t metastasized.”

Full field digital mammography commonly referred to as digital mammography is available in approximately 60% of US breast imaging centers. At The Sonnenalp Breast Imaging Center, we have been offering digital mammography since 2002. We invested in digital mammography technology to provide a more effective mammogram to our patients. Patients appreciate digital mammography because of its lower radiation dose as well as its accuracy. Unlike traditional mammography using film, digital images are stored on a computer and can be manipulated by the radiologist to better visualize the breast tissue.

The use of digital mammography has shown an increase in the detection of early, more treatable breast cancers.Don’t forget to schedule your annual exam and let your care provider know if you have noticed any changes in your breasts.

To ask questions or schedule your mammogram, call the Sonnenalp Breast imaging Center at 970-569-7690.

Joyce Nielsen, Edwards resident and cancer survivor, notes that conducting a self breast exam was not something she was in the habit of doing. But she’s glad she did in July 2007, because it’s how she first noticed a lump that prompted her to set up an appointment with Dr. Jamie Brant.

On July 26, 2007 Dr. Brant informed Joyce and her husband Jim that she had breast cancer. Dr. Brant arranged an appointment the following day for Joyce to meet with Dr. Reg Franciose, the doctor who would perform Joyce’s lumpectomy.

“Dr. Franciose called me the night before the appointment to tell me not to get on the Internet and start doing research on breast cancer,” Joyce said. “He didn’t want me to get worried. It was very reassuring.”

She said that Dr. Franciose spent well over an hour the next day explaining treatment options to her, something she thought was different from the kind of treatment she would have gotten at other major cancer centers. She appreciated how educational the experience was; she felt as though she was prepared to make informed decisions about her treatment.

The Monday following her appointment with Dr. Franciose, Joyce’s team of doctors met for the first time to discuss her treatment plan. They then met with her individually to explain to her how her treatment would progress.

“Our son, who lives in Houston, was concerned about me not seeking treatment at a major cancer center in a large city,” Joyce remembers, “but after those first Monday meetings this really felt like the place where I should be.”

Joyce also remembered how impressed she was with the thoroughness of Dr. Brant’s work. She was worried that Joyce’s blood work indicated that she was anemic, so Dr. Brant ordered a colonoscopy to rule out any internal bleeding. That colonoscopy, performed by Dr. Barry Hammaker, revealed a flat polyp that, after analysis, turned out to be carcinoma cells. Joyce underwent another surgery shortly thereafter to remove small sections of her small and large intestine.

Joyce Nielsen

Local artisan Rudi Neumayr donated a desk for the Shaw Regional Cancer Center volunteers. The desk, made primarily of bubinga wood, crafted to show its waterfall pattern, is located directly

inside the front door of the cancer center. The desk was created to resemble a curtain and took over 700 hours to create.

“The curtain represents privacy, softness and compassion,” says Neumayr. “It makes me very proud to hear our volunteers say that it makes them more passionate and proud of the work they do.”

In addition, The Gallegos Corporation, a local masonry business, donated a wall in the entry way of The Shaw Pavilion behind which durable medical equipment will be stored. The wall is made of mountain sandstone and matches the rock used in the construction of the indoor water features.

“We store several pieces of durable medical equipment in the entryway because it makes them easy for our patients to access and return,” says Dr. Jack Eck, a member of the medical center’s senior administrative team. “The wall that Gerald and his team donated provides an aesthetically pleasing solution for storage of this equipment.”

The wall was constructed by Victor Castaneda and John Trujillo of Gallegos and took more than 80 hours to design and build.

“When Jack [Dr. Eck] called me to ask about the wall I knew this was another opportunity for us to give back,” says Gallegos. “I was born in this community and try to give back to it what it gave to me whenever I can. I encourage my team to do the same.”