The essential guide to Cancer Care

Many people feel out of control, wonder “why me?,” stress about paying for medical bills, or worry about permanent hair loss from chemotherapy.

One in four people experience clinical depression as a result of the emotional distress cancer causes, according to the American Cancer Society, so it’s not unusual for people with cancer to feel worried and anxious about unknown things to come. The key to alleviating some anxiety is getting the support you need.

Start building your support team

“My wife was my rock during treatment. I’m lucky. She took notes, asked follow-up questions, and made sure I always understood what my doctor was saying at appointments.”
—Don L., prostate cancer survivor

Your support team might include your spouse or committed partner, a close family member, a reliable neighbor, a friend from church, or even a service provider whom you can hire to handle small tasks, including rides to get chemo, help with housekeeping, and even assistance with meal prep.

Having a robust support system is important. Loved ones from all areas of your life will welcome the opportunity to hear from you about how they can help you stay focused on your recovery.

It’s normal to feel confused when you find out you have cancer. There is a lot you’ll have to learn, and getting answers to your questions is a great way to start feeling confident and more in control. That’s why it’s essential you feel comfortable asking any questions that come up.

Be sure to let your doctor, nurses, and other healthcare professionals know what you need and what they can do to help you.

If your oncologist isn’t providing enough information about your therapy, ask for more. If your cancer specialist’s explanations are too scientific, ask them to explain more plainly. If your medical billing contact isn’t clear about insurance co-pays, ask follow-up questions.

At a cancer care center, it’s everyone’s job is to help you heal, clearly describe what’s involved with your recommended treatment plan, and help you process every last detail related to your cancer care journey.

“I used the internet a lot to read up on my diagnosis. I read everything I could put my hands on so that I could ask good questions, and my nitty-gritty research made a difference.”
—Joyce E., breast cancer survivor

Treatments for cancer are always changing, but the goal of most cancer treatment plans is to remove most or all of your cancer from your body in order to prevent your cancer from spreading or coming back.

“Having a referral consultation before making my treatment decision was helpful and made me feel more at ease about my diagnosis.”
—Carol E., breast cancer survivor

Surgical oncology
A surgical oncologist is a surgeon who removes cancerous tumors through minimally invasive and laparoscopic surgery, leading to smaller incisions, less discomfort, and faster recovery.

Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a way of keeping cancer from progressing through the use of cancer-destroying drugs that prevent cancerous cells from dividing and growing. Treatment plans that require chemotherapy, including IV treatments, injections, and blood transfusions, are typically delivered by specially trained oncology nurses.

Radiation oncology
Radiation is the controlled use of high energy x-rays to cure or reduce the symptoms of cancer. State-of-the-art radiation technologies—including Varian TrueBeam^® and Varian RapidArc^®—deliver precise doses of radiation with pinpoint accuracy, which allows radiation oncologists to target your cancer without affecting healthy tissue.

This glossary of words and phrases related to cancer and its treatment are based on more detailed definitions provided by the American Cancer Society. Refer to their comprehensive online guide for more terminology as well as pronunciation tips.

Ablation: A type of treatment that works to eliminate cancer from your body.

Aggressive: The term used to describe cancer that is forming, growing, or spreading quickly in your body or a treatment regime that is more intense than usual.

Benign: Not cancerous.

Biopsy: The procedure where a needle is used to remove a sample of tissue from your body to see if cancer cells are present.

Chemo brain: A feeling of mental cloudiness that some patients with cancer report feeling before, during, and after chemotherapy.

Expectant management: Also known as “watchful waiting,” it’s close monitoring that is done instead of starting active treatment right away for cancer.

Malignant: Cancerous and likely to cause death if left untreated.

Metastasize: When cancer cells spread to one or more different places in your body.

PET/CT Scans: This advanced imaging procedure combines two enhanced techniques into one to detect the extent and potential spread of cancer in your body.

Primary Site: The location in your body where your cancer started to grow.

Recurrence: The term used when cancer returns after treatment.

If you live in north central Indiana, you no longer have to drive over an hour to larger cities—like Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, or South Bend—to get full-service, high-quality, and comprehensive cancer care.

At the Cancer Care Center at Logansport Memorial Hospital, your health is our passion. Our multi-disciplinary team of surgeons and specialty providers will put you first and make your best care their top priority.

Here, you can navigate every part of your cancer care journey close-to-home in a caring, compassionate environment and with minimal wait times. With everything centralized, consultations and follow-ups are easy and convenient.

We provide all the latest conventional and cutting-edge cancer treatments you’ll need to beat the odds, from advanced surgical oncology and fully-customizable chemotherapies to world-class radiation therapies and convenient follow-up consultations.

Logansport Memorial’s Cancer Care Center also offers an in-person support group, open to patients, survivors, and family members or caregivers who are looking for support.

Our new modern Cancer Center is one location with one purpose: helping cancer patients heal.

Meet our cancer care providers »

For questions about our cancer care services, call (574) 753-9000.