In The News

Texas Oncology patient in Corpus Christi tells her story about coming to Austin when she evacuated Corpus Christi before Hurricane Harvey hit. Texas Oncology transferred her treatment to Austin to enable her to continue treatment as usual. She goes on to say she was very glad she did not miss chemo because she worried that her cancer cells “would get very busy” if she went without treatment.

Evelyn Weatherbie decided to stay put when she heard Harvey was headed for her hometown, Corpus Christi. Though she wanted to remain close to care in Houston, she agreed eventually to evacuate to Austin, accepting that she would most likely miss chemo. But Weatherbie was able to continue her treatment at Texas Oncology in Austin. She looks forward to returning home and getting back to her old “very active” self.

Dr. Sylvia Jaramillo, a medical oncologist at Texas Oncology–Austin Central, took over Ray Buvia’s esophageal cancer care after flooding from Hurricane Harvey prevented him from beginning treatment in Houston as planned. Dr. Jaramillo spoke to KVUE-TV about catering to displaced cancer patients who are in need of exams, treatments and other care services that are available to them at 13 Central Texas locations.

As a result of Hurricane Harvey, many patients have had their chemotherapy and radiation treatments halted, their surgeries postponed, and their follow up appointments for care and services placed on hold indefinitely. For cancer patients in need, there are several services available including Texas Oncology, The Cancer Support Community, and PRMA Plastic Surgery.

Dallas-based Texas Oncology is opening its facilities across the state to help storm-displaced cancer patients with their treatments. According to the practice, Texas Oncology will provide individualized care for patients to get back-on-track with their chemotherapy and other treatments.

Frankie Ann Holmes, M.D., a physician at Texas Oncology, discusses neoadjuvant endocrine therapy for patients with breast cancer. Dr. Holmes explains that some patients do not choose to receive chemotherapy for tumors that are too large to remove by surgery and how some types of breast cancer may respond to deprivation of estrogen more than chemotherapy.

Right now, one of the most pressing medical needs in the wake of Harvey is getting people to dialysis and cancer treatment. Texas Oncology is working to deliver care to evacuees in need.

If you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with cancer, you know there are many people involved in cancer care. 

October is a time to celebrate breakthroughs in breast cancer treatment that helped create more than 3 million survivors in the U.S. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime, but the average five year survival rate for breast cancer is 89 percent. When cancer is located only in the breast, the survival rate is 99 percent.That’s progress worthy of all the pink ‘everywhere’ that occurs each October. 

Texas Oncology is offering help to hurricane victims with cancer. There are more than 170 Texas locations now available for patients who need to temporarily relocate their treatment and care services. Anyone who is interested should contact Texas Oncology.