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A relatively new technique could make breast cancer patients post-surgery lives much easier. Intraoperative radiation therapy, or IORT, is a new form of radiation therapy that replaces weeks of traditional radiation therapy. It’s administered in a single dose directly at the tumor site – and given at the same time as the surgery. For most patients, they will not require the normal daily radiation treatments that normally require six to seven weeks. It allows a woman to get her radiation and her surgery in one day. In this segment, Dr. Veronica Jones shares the latest advances in treatment for breast cancer with our clinical trials of intraoperative radiation therapy and cryoablation, and by having world-renowned scientists, physicians and treatment manufacturing facilities working side by side at our main campus, we’re able to quickly turn breakthrough discoveries into experimental treatments.

Mammograms have long been the gold standard for breast cancer detection, but they're not perfect. They can be less effective in women with dense breasts, which contain more glandular and connective tissue than fat. Many states now require women to be notified when dense tissue is seen on a mammogram. Some states also require supplemental screening, like ultrasound, even if the mammogram found no cancer. In this segment, Dr. Lusi Tumyan discusses breast density as a risk for breast cancer and the latest screening indications for women with dense breasts.

Triple-negative breast cancer represents approximately 15 percent of all breast cancers, but it is diagnosed at a higher rate in patients with hereditary (particularly BRCA1-gene associated) breast cancer, as well as among African-American women. In this segment, Yuan Yuan, MD., Ph.D. discusses this aggressive form of breast cancer and how City of Hope is leading the field in advancements for this type of cancer and how there are several innovative clinical trials both for newly diagnosed and Stage 4 triple negative breast cancer patients that play into efforts going on nationally to address these difficult to treat tumors.

If you've been diagnosed with a head and neck cancer, talk to us about treatment options. At City of Hope, our dedicated team of experts take a patient-centered approach to diagnosing and treating this group of cancers. In this segment, Dr. Thomas Gernon discusses the latest advances in head and neck cancers and the treatment options available at City of Hope.

Patients with prostate cancer that hasn't spread beyond the gland itself have a broad range of treatment options – including surgery, radiation therapy and active surveillance. However, with those treatment options come certain side effects such as incontinence, bowel function and erectile dysfunction. Many men will have ED occasionally, and this is not cause for any worry. However, if ED becomes a consistent problem, it can cause emotional distress, impact your quality of life and may be an indicator of an underlying health issue. If you are suffering from ED, talk to us. Our experts at City of Hope have many effective treatment options available for you. In this segment, Jonathan N. Warner, MD., discusses treatments for erectile dysfunction after prostate cancer.

Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and, in most cases, it is not life-threatening nor does it spread to other parts of the body. The exception is melanoma, the rarest and most aggressive form of skin cancer. Cutaneous lymphoma (also called lymphoma of the skin) is a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that affects the skin. There are approximately 72,580 cases of NHL diagnosed each year, only 5 percent of which are skin lymphomas, according to the American Cancer Society. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 5 million nonmelanoma skin cancers (basal and squamous cell cancers) are diagnosed each year, while melanoma will be diagnosed in approximately 76,000 people. Although melanoma is potentially deadlier, if caught and treated early, it has a nearly 100 percent cure rate. Christiane Querfeld, MD, PhD discusses Melanoma and Cutaneous lymphoma, and some important tips to help reduce your risk.

Cancer of the prostate gland is a serious health risk for men. In fact, nearly 240,000 American men yearly will be diagnosed with it. The good news is that prostate cancer is survivable, especially if it is detected early, before it can spread. City of Hope is a leader in the use of robotic-assisted prostatectomy to treat prostate cancer; our experienced team have performed thousands of robotic prostatectomies since the program's start in 2003, more than any other medical center in the Western U.S. and second in the nation. In this segment, Dr. Bertram Yuh, associate clinical professor in Division of Urology and Urologic Oncology, at City of Hope, discusses the latest advances in Robotic Surgery for Complex Prostate Cancer.

Myeloma is the second most common type of blood cancer, accounting for around one percent of blood cancer cases. It develops in plasma cells, white blood cells that grow in bone marrow. Myeloma most often affects the aged — most cases are diagnosed in people age 65 and older. Although myeloma grows within bone, it is not considered bone cancer. Listen as Gargi Upadhyaya, MD discusses multiple myeloma and the treatment options at City of Hope.

The Department of Pathology at City of Hope is recognized worldwide for its diagnostic excellence. Laboratories lead by renowned investigators and equipped with highly sophisticated technologies enable us to provide physicians and their patients with accurate diagnoses of even the most elusive diseases. Pathology and radiology form the core of cancer diagnosis, yet most patients never see the Pathologist. With the enormous technological advances currently occurring in both fields, the opportunity has emerged to develop an integrated diagnostic reporting system that supports both specialties and, therefore, improves the overall quality of patient care. Listen as Sophia Apple, MD discusses the relationship between the Radiologist and the Pathologist and how the teams at City of Hope work together to give patients the best standard of care to assure a proper diagnosis.

Clinical practice guidelines can be potentially valuable tools for clinicians, however, these can also hinder individualized medicine. Standardization, the other side of the same coin, can affect many areas of medicine with the growth of evidence-based medicine and efforts at measuring, reporting, and improving quality. In this fascinating segment, Dr. Vijay Trisal, associate clinical professor in Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery at City of Hope, discusses and debates the merits of cookbook medicine vs standardization, and how health care providers must be fluid and be able to take those standards and utilize them to create personalized treatments for the unique conditions of their patients.

Surgery is a common treatment option for most breast cancer patients. Depending on the tumor’s size, location and spread, the procedure performed may be a lumpectomy (removal of the tumor, surrounding breast tissue and possibly nearby lymph nodes) or a mastectomy (removal of one or both breasts, along with nearby lymph nodes). City of Hope offers the latest advances in surgical approaches to treating breast cancer. Our leading-edge technology and our surgeons' expertise means you can achieve outstanding outcomes that are not possible elsewhere. This includes breast cancer surgeries with fewer and smaller incisions, reducing discomfort and recovery time. Our minimally-invasive approach also allows patients to be treated sooner with post-surgery treatments, such as follow-up radiation and drug therapy. Listen as Amy Polverini, MD discusses your Surgical Options for Breast Cancer to find the one that best suits your cancer and your lifestyle.

Every year, more than 60,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with endometrial/uterine cancer. At City of Hope, we treat you as a valued individual. Our entire uterine/endometrial cancer team works together to bring you advanced surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and supportive care options that will deliver the best outcome for you. On this segment, Mehdi M. Kebria, M.D. discusses the use of robotic surgery in management of gynecologic cancers.

An accurate and thorough diagnosis is important so that your breast cancer team can develop the best treatment plan for you. At City of Hope, your care team will utilize the most state-of-the art breast imaging technologies and laboratory techniques to guide your personalized treatment. In this segment Dr. Dortha Chu, assistant clinical professor in Division of Surgical Oncology at City of Hope, discusses how you can get a personalized treatment for breast cancer that fits your cancer and lifestyle.

Radiation treatment plays an important role in most breast cancer patients, particularly those seeking breast conserving therapy. Radiation is also used in patients with high risk disease after a mastectomy. At City of Hope, our image-driven planning using computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans means that radiation is accurately delivered to tumor sites, increasing the therapy's effectiveness while reducing exposure to normal tissue. Our radiation oncologists also work closely with breast surgeons and medical oncologists (who prepare and deliver drug therapies) to plan and provide customized care to each patient for optimal outcome Listen as Daniel H. Kim, MD explains that for those who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, City of Hope's Breast Cancer Program provides state-of-the-art surgical, medical and radiation therapies.

Every year, more than 60,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with endometrial/uterine cancer. At City of Hope, we treat you as a valued individual. Our entire uterine/endometrial cancer team works together to bring you advanced surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and supportive care options that will deliver the best outcome for you. Listen as Thanh H. Dellinger, MD discusses the symptoms and treatments available for endometrial cancer at City of Hope.

Stereotactic radiotherapy is used to treat tumors in the lung without having to make an opening in the skin. The treatment machine directs beams of high-dose radiation directly to the area in the lung that needs to be treated. The radiation beams are silent and invisible. Radiotherapy can play a pivotal role in the treatment of lung cancer of all stages and can result in long-term curative outcomes for patients. Listen in as Helen Chen, MD explains how Stereotactic radiotherapy is used to help treat lung cancer.

An accurate and thorough diagnosis is important so that your breast cancer team can develop the best treatment plan for you. At City of Hope, your care team will utilize the most state-of-the art breast imaging technologies and laboratory techniques to guide your personalized treatment. Listen as Monique White-Dominguez, D.O. discusses the latest advances in breast cancer screening to give women the best chance to catch cancer early when treatment can be most effective.

Cancer treatments are becoming more powerful, less toxic and increasingly individualized by patient and by tumor. Researchers are enlisting the immune system in the body's fight against cancer's many forms. Listen as Dr George Hajaar, oncologist with City of Hope, discusses how years-long research projects are maturing into human clinical trials of new targeted cancer therapies.

According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), more and more new communication technology is being used to provide cancer care. Web-based tools, wearable technology, and smartphones let many people engage with each other and share information. Medical institutions and individual health care professionals are also developing ways to use this technology to improve the quality of medical care. Dr.Mina Sedrak's research focuses on studying the mechanisms by which social media and mobile technology can enhance individual and population health behaviors and outcomes in cancer care.

Many people mistakenly think that palliative care is the same as hospice care. It isn’t. Palliative care is medical care focusing on people who are seriously ill. It’s meant to help patients get relief from their symptoms, pain and stress; whatever their diagnosis. Listen as Dr. Stefanie Mooney from City of Hope, answers questions about how providers, caregivers and patients can maximize the quality of life for themselves and loved ones through Palliative Care and managing those cancer symptoms .