News Articles

Brooke Hasty discovered a lump in her breast on Mother’s Day in 2021. After being diagnosed with breast cancer, Brooke saw medical oncologist Mathew Meeneghan, M.D., Texas Oncology–Bastrop and South Austin. Brooke’s cousin, Allison Gorrebeeck, M.D., Texas Oncology–Austin North, suggested the need for a breast surgeon as part of her care team and referred Brooke to Caroline Coombs-Skiles, M.D., FACS, Texas Breast Specialists–Austin Downtown. Brooke started chemotherapy and subsequently underwent a lumpectomy followed by 21 rounds of radiation. Brooke’s last mammogram came back all clear, and she has a hysterectomy scheduled to finish her treatment. Brooke says she now feels great and is thankful for her friends, family, and care team at Texas Oncology throughout the process.

A diagnosis, treatment plan, or return of breast cancer can impact all aspects of your life. As you adjust to the physical, emotional, and psychological changes that come with cancer, you also must decide when and how to tell your family, friends, and broader support system. Tanyel S. Williams, LMSW, ACSW, CHW, ACHP-SW, OSW-C, Texas Oncology–Palestine Cancer Center, educates readers on how to approach conversations with loved ones after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Southeast Texas cancer care is rising to new heights with the opening of the new Texas Oncology Center in Beaumont. The facility doubles the capacity of its former treatment center, while bringing in state-of-the art equipment that will keep care local for patients and their families. 

Delco Trailers is collecting donations and supplies during Breast Cancer Awareness Month for patients at Texas Oncology–Paris. "We are so grateful that Delco Trailers would do this for our patients,” said Caryn Resnick, RN, MSN, FPN, Texas Oncology–Paris, as she explained what donations like these mean to patients.
 

When it comes to breast cancer, good news is always welcome.Texas Oncology–Paris has some good news, in fact, it has great news. “At Paris Texas Oncology, we are part of a service called the genetic risk evaluation and testing (GREAT) program which provides testing for cancer associated hereditary gene mutations,” said Denim Ervin, who is a nurse practitioner at Texas Oncology in Paris.

Unlocking the genetic “secrets” inside cancer cells is revolutionizing oncology. This advancement in medical science is the foundation of precision medicine, which provides patients with more personalized and targeted treatment, based on understanding the genetic information of a patient’s cancer.

Texas Oncology's evidence-based care model treats the whole patient, focusing on patient outcomes and significantly improving how cancer care is managed. These efforts are bolstered by innovations in biomarker testing, pencil-beam scanning, image-guided proton therapy, and CAR-T therapy, among others.

Jared Sturgeon, M.D., Ph.D., Texas Center for Proton Therapy, discusses how the move toward avoiding exposing cardiac tissue to radiation is an evolution in care that can make a significant difference in women’s heart health later in life, noting that proton therapy is especially suited to concentrating treatment on the target tissue and avoiding the heart and lungs.

Jared Sturgeon, M.D., Ph.D., Texas Center for Proton Therapy, shares how excess radiation can damage several critical areas of the heart, which can lead to a higher risk of coronary artery disease, including myocardial infarction and heart failure. However, for women diagnosed with breast cancer, advanced targeting technology at Texas Center for Proton Therapy can avoid needless irradiation and make a significant difference in women's heart health later in life.