Cancer Diagnosis

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Cancer Diagnosis

Learning that you or someone you love has cancer can make you feel that your world is being turned upside down. Your initial thoughts may be "How could this have happened to me?" and "How will I get through this?"

A cancer diagnosis is shocking and overwhelming. 

Specially trained nurse navigators are available to patients and their loved ones before, during, and after a diagnosis of cancer has been made. These nurses provide real-time education, guidance, and support to patients as they progress through their treatment and beyond into survivorship.

At Spectrum Health Lakeland, physicians and care providers meet before starting treatment to review each person's case. These weekly multidisciplinary cancer conferences are conducted to help coordinate care and enhance collaboration among team members. In addition, Spectrum Health Lakeland collaborates with community organizations that share the goal of cancer awareness and education, including the Berrien County Cancer Services and the American Cancer Society.

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Check-up: Removing cancer with surgery (Nathan Piovesan, MD)

Cancer care can involve surgery done by a general surgeon to either remove cancer or to do diagnostic surgery to identify what a tumor is.

Check-up: Detect lung cancer early (Kenlyn Laureys, NP)

Nurse practitioner Kenlyn Laureys in the high-risk cancer program at Corewell Health explains that if you are identified as being at high risk for lung cancer your doctor can refer you to receive a lung cancer screening.

Check-up: Cutting out colon cancer with surgery (Benjamin Sopczynski, MD)

General surgeon Benjamin Sopczynski, MD, explains what a colectomy is and how it can be used to remove colon cancer. Minimally invasive surgery is used to make this procedure less invasive with quicker healing times.

Corewell Health - We Can

What can we do together? Can we beat the unbeatable? Can we achieve the unthinkable? Can we reach our health goals? And accomplish even more along the way? Can we live healthier, fuller, happier lives? With Corewell Health, we can.

Provider Video Profile: Kenlyn Laureys, NP (Oncology)

Nurse Practitioner Kenlyn Laureys cares for patients getting cancer infusion treatments in Niles, Michigan.

Breast Cancer: Nancy Pallas "3D approach to care"

At age 79, Dowagiac resident, Nancy Pallas, decided to opt for a 3D mammogram, which was able to detect a stage 1A tumor. Her care team quickly assembled to help her beat the cancer.

Prostate cancer: Martin Dixon "Put to the test"

Retired engineer Martin Dixon takes a matter of fact, analytical approach to life. So, when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, he faced his treatment with the same outlook.

Food and cancer risk – what’s the connection?

Eating well and getting enough physical activity can reduce the risk for cancer occurrence by up to 61%. Even better, you don’t have to make a lot of changes all at once.

Check-up: ABCDEs of skin cancer (Riddhi Shah, DO)

You can help find cancer early by checking your skin each month. Dermatologist, Riddhi Shah, DO, explains what to look for using the ABCDE method.

Spectrum Health Lakeland cancer care: With you every step of the way.

Whatever your cancer diagnosis, you'll find the care and resources you need at Spectrum Health Lakeland.

© Spectrum Health Lakeland 2023
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