News Articles

A small surgical robot at the International Space Station completed its first surgery demo in zero gravity last week, and one of the surgeons tasked with the remote robotic operations on simulated tissue was Houston-based Theodoros Voloyiannis, M.D., FACS, FASCRS, a colorectal surgeon at Texas Colon & Rectal Specialists. 

Scans are an essential part of cancer treatment and survivorship care, so recognizing and managing scanxiety is essential to help patients get the care they need. Shaun P. McKenzie, M.D., FACS, Texas Oncology Surgical Specialists–Round Rock and South Austin and Antonio Nathan Villamor III, M.D., colorectal surgeon, Texas Colon & Rectal Specialists–Pasadena, explain that while colonoscopies often have a reputation for being stressful, painful, or embarrassing, this common procedure is usually quick and can be done under different types of anesthesia.

Along with remarkable advancements in life-saving cancer care, medical researchers also are making major progress in mitigating the potential impact some cancer treatment can have on the heart. James Wilder, M.D., of Texas Oncology–Palestine Cancer Center, Paris, and Pittsburg, shares how cancer treatments affect the heart and how innovations like cardioprotective medications, advanced imaging techniques, precision medicine, biomarkers, and proton therapy work to mitigate this impact.

In a test that featured half a dozen surgeons from across the United States, includingTheodoros Voloyiannis, M.D., FACS, FASCRS, a colon and rectal surgeon at Texas Colon & Rectal Specialists–Webster, a miniature robot created at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln successfully completed a surgical simulation aboard the International Space Station. It is the first surgical robot aboard the space station and one of the first times remote surgery tasks have been tested in space.

Texas Center for Proton Therapy has been serving cancer patients in Dallas-Fort Worth and beyond for eight years, providing leading-edge patient care by not only ridding patients of cancer, but maximizing their quality of life during treatment and beyond — even decades later. 

When it comes to the heart and cancer treatment, balancing the effectiveness of cancer therapies with the preservation of heart function is essential to improving the long-term cardiovascular health of cancer patients. Karen Cohen, M.D.,Texas Oncology–Austin Central and Round Rock and Andrew Jackson, M.D., Texas Oncology–The Woodlands, share how healthcare providers and cancer patients can make informed decisions when it comes to matters of the heart.

Unlike traditional radiation therapy, proton therapy involves targeted proton beams that can deliver precise, high doses of radiation, that “paint” tumors layer by layer, to destroy cancerous cells. The versatility of proton therapy makes it a valuable tool for patients facing the challenge of recurrent or second primary cancers and extends to a wide range of cancer types, including cancers of the brain, head and neck, lung, and breast, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and gynecologic cancers.

Cervical cancer rates are increasing among women in their 30s and 40s. This January, cervical cancer awareness month, Texas Oncology shared with KCEN-TV (NBC, Temple) their expertise on this disease and the symptoms women should note that can develop overtime in spotting cervical cancer.

January is National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month and Jennifer L. Brown, M.D., M.S., Texas Oncology–Beaumont, Kingwood and Helen Dinkelspiel Eshed, M.D., Texas Oncology–Austin North Suite 300 are empowering individuals with accurate information about cervical cancer and HPV vaccinations, clarifying any misconceptions.

Tanyel S. Williams, LMSW, ACSW, CHW, ACHP-SW, OSW-C,  a social worker at Texas Oncology–Greenville Lou & Jack Finney Cancer Center, Longview Cancer Center, Palestine Cancer Center, Paris, and Pittsburg, discusses the role of cancer caregivers, noting their responsibilities as patient advocates and ways for caregivers to deal with the emotional impact of cancer, as well as the importance of effective collaboration and advance care planning.