Great News for Lung Cancer Patients with Stage III Disease- PACIFIC Trial, Another Wave of Immunotherapy
By Jack Gleason, M.D, radiation oncologist at Alliance Cancer Care As radiation oncologists, a common clinical situation we encounter are patients with non-small cell lung cancer that has spread to their regional lymph nodes in the chest (hilum or mediastinum) but do not have any distant metastases (spread of cancer to areas outside the chest…
Nurse Practitioners Week
This week, we honor nurse practitioners. Our nurse practitioners are a critical part of our team, assisting our physicians with the diagnosis, management, and follow-up of our cancer patients. Today, we will highlight our Alliance Cancer Care nurse practitioners: Kimberly Ellis began working at Alliance Cancer Care in 2012. She previously worked for Huntsville Hospital…
National Radiologic Technologist and Radiation Therapist Week
By Erin Sheffield, Chief Therapist at Alliance Cancer Care While we appreciate our therapy team every day, each year, radiation therapists and radiologic technologists are celebrated during the first full week of November. What is a Radiation Therapist? A radiation therapist is a highly trained medical professional who delivers radiation to specific areas of a…
Lung Cancer Screening
By Harry James McCarty III, M.D., radiation oncologist at Alliance Cancer Care November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month – and to recognize that, this month’s first blog is on lung cancer screening. Most people know that we can use mammograms (X-rays of the breasts) to screen for breast cancer. Many people, however, do not know…
Breast Reconstruction after Mastectomy
By Traci McCormick, M.D., radiation oncologist at Alliance Cancer Care What is Breast Reconstruction? If you have breast cancer, your doctor may recommend you have a mastectomy. Mastectomy is the removal of the entire breast to treat breast cancer. Following a mastectomy, the process of “reconstruction” involves creating the shape and look of the breast…
Physician Spotlight: Elizabeth Falkenberg, M.D.
What do patients say about Dr. Falkenberg? “Dr. Falkenberg is a very caring physician, and she spends time with you to answer your questions to ensure you understand your treatment plan. The entire staff is also wonderful.” “Comfortable environment and friendly staff. Easy access to medical staff when questions arise. Dr. Falkenberg is very helpful…
Technology Spotlight: CT Simulation Equipment
By Jenny Vann, RTT What is a simulation? Simulation is the process of positioning your body in a way that is comfortable and that can be reproduced for each radiation treatment. Radiation therapy precisely and accurately targets tumors, so a simulation is necessary for delivering customized radiation treatment for each patient. At simulation, you will…
National Medical Assistant’s Day
Today is National Medical Assistant’s Day, and we are extremely grateful for our medical assistants at Alliance Cancer Care. Medical assistants perform both clinical and administrative tasks to help with coordinating our patient’s care. We want to take a moment to introduce you to our team of medical assistants. If you see them, be sure…
Breast Conservation: Save the Tatas!
By Elizabeth Falkenberg, M.D., radiation oncologist at Alliance Cancer Care Women who are diagnosed with breast cancer have choices. In fact, most women are diagnosed in the early stages of cancer because of a yearly mammogram. Still, a new diagnosis of cancer can be scary and confusing. Many family and friends offer well-meaning advice, but…
Site Spotlight: Decatur Clinic
Where is the clinic located? – 1312 7th Street, Decatur, AL 35601 What is the office phone number? – (256) 355-0730 Where do I park? – There is a parking garage attached to our clinic building. Enter from 7th Street, across from the Medical Plaza. – You will receive a code to exit the parking…