Overview
Lovelace Cancer Center features a skilled team of accomplished providers dedicated to diagnosing and treating all types of cancer and blood disorders, at all stages. We believe in making you, not just your cancer, the focus of your treatment. We care about you, your family, your quality of life and your goals. We care about providing you with the best treatment in New Mexico which means the best technology and the best physicians. That's why we, your team and physicians, pride ourselves on a multidisciplinary approach and comprehensive care.
Questions to ask your doctor:
- What is the goal of my treatment?
- What is the best way to treat my stage and type of cancer?
- How successful can I expect this treatment to be?
- Are there other treatment options? If yes, what are they?
- Why have you chosen this treatment plan for my care?
- If I choose not to have this treatment, what will happen?
- How can I expect to feel during treatment?
- If pain is involved, how can I prevent or relieve it?
- How long will my treatment last?
- What kinds of changes in my daily life will I have to make while I'm going through treatment?
- Will I be able to continue to work or take care of my other responsibilities?
- How will you know that the treatment is working?
- What side effects should I expect?
- Are there changes I should make to my diet?
Interventional Radiology
The interventional radiology team plays a key role in partnering with Lovelace Cancer Center to offer our patients comprehensive cancer care. Guided by a variety of imaging tools, the interventional radiologists are able to provide targeted, minimally invasive treatment, directly to the tumor. This can be accomplished by inserting a needle directly into the tumor and administering either heat or cold energy to burn or freeze tumors. We can also inject high doses of chemotherapy or radiation directly into the tumor which can offer an alternative for pain relief, and ultimately shortens the recovery time and lowers the chance of complications. These procedures are most often done on an outpatient basis and usually do not require a hospital stay.
Cancers we are able to treat:
Blood cancers
Some bone cancers begin forming in the blood-creating cells known as bone marrow. The most common bone marrow cancers are multiple myeloma and leukemia.
Bone cancer
Sarcomas are tumors found in the bone itself and start in bone, muscle, fibrous tissue, blood vessels fat tissues and tissue.
Bone metastases
Often bone cancer is diagnosed because the cancer has originated in another part of the body and spread to the bones. This can occur with many different types of advanced cancer such as breast cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer.
Noncancerous bone tumors
Some tumors that start in the bone are benign and do not spread to other tissues and organs. These tumors are usually not considered life threatening and can often be removed with surgery or tumor ablation.
For more information on our Oncology services please visit LovelaceCancerCenter.com.
About:
The kidney's main job is to filter the blood coming in from the renal arteries to remove excess water, salt and waste products. The kidneys also help control blood pressure and ensure the body has enough red blood cells.Kidney cancer, or renal cancer, is a disease that first begins by forming a tumor in the lining of tiny tubes within the kidney.
Treatment Option:
Kidney cancer ablation is performed through a tiny incision in the patient's back, allowing direct access to the tumor. The physician then uses a specially designed needle to provide extreme cold or extreme heat to the tumor site.
For more information on our Oncology services please visit LovelaceCancerCenter.com.
About:
Benign liver tumors typically do not grow into nearby tissue or spread to distant parts of the body, but they can grow large enough to cause problems. These tumors usually start in the blood vessels and can typically be removed with surgery or tumor ablation.Primary liver cancer starts in the liver and either begins as a single tumor that grows larger or as multiple small nodules throughout the liver. Most of the time when cancer is found in the liver it started somewhere else in the body such as the pancreas, colon, stomach, breast or lung, and has spread to the liver.>
Treatment Options:
Chemoembolization delivers chemotherapy directly into a tumor via a small catheter through the artery leading to the liver. Bead-like particles loaded with chemotherapy are then released through the catheter directly to the tumor site where they will release the drug slowly over a period of time. By targeting the tumor directly, the patient experiences fewer side effects than that of traditional chemotherapy treatment.
Radioembolization (Y-90), much like chemoembolization, directly targets treatment to the tumor site by using beads loaded with high-dose radiation. This approach also reduces damage to healthy tissues by targeting the radiation exposure exclusively to the tumor.
Ablation uses energy in the form of extreme heat (microwave alation) or RFA (high radiofrequency energy) to destroy the cancerous cells in the liver. With a specially designed needle the physician can pass the energy onto the precise location of the cancer and avoid damage to the normal liver tissue.
For more information on our Oncology services please visit LovelaceCancerCenter.com.
About:
Smoking is the strongest risk factor for lung cancer in the United States, the risk of developing lung cancer increases with the length of time and number of cigarettes smoked. Lung cancer in non-smokers can be caused by exposure to radon, secondhand smoke, air pollution or other factions. Workplace exposures to asbestos, diesel exhaust or other chemicals can also cause lung cancer.Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common type of lung cancer.
Treatment Option:
An ablation is performed through a tiny incision in the chest, allowing the physician to access the tumor directly. A needle is then used to deliver extreme cold or extreme heat to the tumor site. This focused treatment avoids damage to the normal lung tissue.
To schedule a low dose lung ct scan please visit our lung screening page.
Cancer cells can spread locally by moving into nearby normal tissue or regionally, to nearby lymph nodes, tissues or organs. It can also spread to distant parts of the body, when this happens, it's called metastic cancer. The most common sites where cancer spreads are the bone, lung and liver.
For more information on our Oncology services please visit LovelaceCancerCenter.com.
Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT/Y90)
Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT), also known as Radioembolization or Y90, is a liver-directed therapy for inoperable liver tumors. SIRT can be combined with modern chemotherapy or administered as monotherapy. SIRT with SIR-Spheres Y90 resin microspheres offers patients an opportunity to access radiotherapy for inoperable primary and secondary liver tumors whilst sparing normal liver parenchyma.
Treatment goals for Y90 include increasing the time to progression, extending overall survival rates, potentially downsizing or downstaging tumors for liver resection, ablation or transplantation and providing palliation of symptoms.
For more information, or to schedule an appointment call 505.727.8966.
Medical Oncology
Medical oncologists specialize in treating cancer. Sometimes this is done through the use of chemotherapy, which is the use of medications to treat cancer by shrinking or eliminating the tumor. The medical oncologists at Lovelace treat patients with cancer and blood disorders who are 18 years old and above.
Blood Cancers
Blood cancers affect the production and function of your blood cells. The high number of abnormal white blood cells are not able to fight infection and they impair the bodies ability of the bone marrow to produce red blood cells and platelets. Common blood cancers include leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Most of these cancers start in the body's bone marrow where blood is produced. In most blood cancers, the normal blood cell development process is interrupted by uncontrolled growth of an abnormal type of blood cell. These abnormal blood cells, or cancerous cells, prevent blood from performing many of its functions, like fighting off infections or preventing serious bleeding.
Blood Disorders
Blood disorders can involve and affect any of the blood's main components – red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Blood is a living tissue that circulates through the body carrying nourishment and oxygen to and bringing away waste products from throughout the body. Common disorders include anemia, blood clots, blood cancers and hemophilia.
Chemoembolization
Chemoembolization delivers chemotherapy directly into a tumor via a small catheter through a main artery. Bead-like particles loaded with chemotherapy are released through the catheter directly to the tumor site where they will release the drug slowly over a period of time. By targeting the tumor directly, the patient experiences fewer side effects than that of traditional chemotherapy treatment.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy works by stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells, which grow and divide quickly. The treatment can also be used to shrink tumors that are causing pain or other problems. Depending on the type of cancer, chemotherapy may be given orally or intravenously.
Stem Cell Transplant
A stem cell transplant is a procedure that infuses healthy blood-forming stem cells (stem cells) back into the body in an effort to produce new blood and immune cells damaged by cancer treatment. Stem cells can be collected from the patient prior to treatment or from a matched donor.
- Dress in layers
- Take medications as usual, unless otherwise specified by your physician. Please bring pain medications with you.
- Eat a good, healthy, low-saturated fat meal the day of treatment
- Bring snacks and water as needed and arrange for lunch on long days
- Arrange transportation for first treatment
- Remember to silence your cell phone in the chemo suite
- You can bring one visitor with you during your treatment. (No visitors under the age of 18 are allowed).
- Recliners are for patient use only. There are other chairs available for visitor use.
- Working thermometer at home
- Imodium AD
- Claratin 10mg (No Sudafed)
- Colace or other laxative
- Prescriptions sent to pharmacy by office
- Put Elma, or another numbing cream, on your port one hour prior to treatment
- Take steroids as directed
- Education binder with you
- Snacks and water
- Head phones, blanket, book, etc.
- Prescriptions and pain medications if they will be needed during treatment
Radiation Oncology
Radiation therapy is a form of cancer treatment that uses high-energy particles to destroy cancer cells in an effort to keep them from spreading within the body. Radiation therapy is a very common treatment for cancer and can be used alone or with other cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy or surgery. Our radiation oncology program features highly skilled, compassionate medical professionals and state-of-the-art equipment, including New Mexico's only Perfexion Gamma Knife.
3D BiPlane
BiPlane imaging provides a detailed 3D portrait of the patient's blood vessels and soft tissue anatomy. It also allows doctors to map blood flow through vessels in real time.
4DCT Big Bore
CT Big Bore offers advanced tools for radiation planning with a bore size or 85cm, allowing the imaging of patients for treatment planning with breast and lung cancer who need to hold their arms above their head. The 4D component gives the ability to image tumors that move with breathing and know their location at any point in time, allowing for more precise treatment planning, translating into less toxicity.
Gamma Knife
Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion radiosurgery is a treatment option for patients with brain tumors that were previously considered inoperable or untreatable. The Gamma Knife Center of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center is the only hospital in New Mexico offering patients access to this treatment option.
PET/CT
This nuclear imaging technique combines position tomography (PET) and computer tomography (CT) into one machine. A technician injects a glucose solution into a vein, which moves throughout the body during the scan, allowing the radiologist to get a more detailed picture of cancerous tissues. The images are captured in a single scan, providing a high level of accuracy, while cutting imaging time and radiation exposure in half.
Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT)
Radioembolization (Y-90) offers targeted treatment for inoperable tumors. SIRT directs treatment to the tumor site by using beads loaded with high-dose radiation. This approach also reduces damage to healthy tissues by targeting the radiation exposure exclusively to the tumor.
Tomo Therapy
The TomoTherapy system is designed to safely and routinely deliver image-guided, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IG-IMRT) for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. The smaller radiation beams, combines with the unique helical delivery method, enable clinicians to deliver a more customized and precise treatment plan.
Varian
The linear accelerator treatment machine, the Varian 21iX, is capable of intensity-modulated radiation therapy and image-guided radiation therapy. It has on-board imaging and Cone Beam CT, allowing physicians to verify patient position and tumor position at the time of treatment. It also offers Real-Time Position Management (RPM) for respiratory gating.
Surgical Oncology
Surgery can be used to diagnose, stage and treat cancer. For many patients, surgery will be combined with other cancer treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation. Whether a patient is a candidate for surgery depends on factors such as the type, location, size, grade and stage of the tumor and general health factors.
Ablation
An ablation is performed through a tiny incision in order to allow the physician to access the tumor directly. A long needle is then inserted directly into the tumor and delivers extreme cold or extreme heat to freeze or burn the tumor. This focused treatment avoids damage to the surrounding normal tissue.
Biopsy
If you are experiencing certain signs and symptoms your physician may order a biopsy to better determine if an area of tissue is abnormal. A biopsy is a procedure to remove a piece of tissue or a sample of cells from the body to be analyzed in a lab. Other tests can suggest if cancer is present, but only a biopsy can make a diagnosis.
IORT
Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) delivers a concentrated dose of radiation therapy to a tumor bed during surgery, while also working to preserve healthy tissue. This helps to reduce side effects and decrease the need to return to the hospital for additional radiation treatments. IORT may offer the advantages of more efficient dosing, help spare healthy tissues and organs, shorten treatment times and provide a boost for traditional radiation patients.
Margin Probe
The Margin Probe System can determine the success of a lumpectomy in real-time. During surgery, the electromagnetic response of tissue is assessed, differentiating cancerous cells from healthy tissue cells. This allows our surgeons to achieve clean margins, greatly reducing the need for re-excision surgery.
Clinical Trials
This is a complete listing of the clinical trials available to you. If you are interested in participating in a clinical trial, or learning more about clinical trials, please discuss your treatment options with your physician.
Breast
| Study ID | Sponsor | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Alliance Foundation Trials AFT-05, ABCSG 42, BIG 14-03 | Alliance Foundation |
PALLAS: PALbociclib CoLlaborative Adjuvant Study: A Randomized Phase III Trial of Palbociclib with Standard Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy versus Standard Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy Alone for Hormone Receptor Positive (HR+) / Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2)- negative Early Breast Cancer |
| NSABP B-55/BIG 6-13 | NSABP |
NSABP B-55/BIG 6-13: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Parallel Group, Placebo- Controlled Multi-Centre Phase III Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Olaparib Versus Placebo as Adjuvant Treatment in Patients with Germline BRCA1/2 Mutations and High Risk HER2 Negative Primary Breast Cancer Who Have Completed Definitive Local Treatment and Neoadjuvant or Adjuvant Chemotherapy |
| SWOG S1207 | SWOG |
Phase III Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial Evaluating the Use of Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy +/- One Year of Everolimus in Patients with High-Risk, Hormone Receptor-Positive and HER2/neu Negative Breast Cancer |
| Alliance A011502 | Alliance |
A Randomized Phase III Double Blinded Placebo Controlled Trial of Aspirin as Adjuvant Therapy for Node Positive HER2 Negative Breast Cancer: The ABC Trial |
| ECOG-ACRIN EA1131 | ECOG-ACRIN |
A Randomized Phase III Post-Operative Trial of Platinum Based Chemotherapy Vs. Observation in Patients with Residual Triple- Negative Basal-Like Breast Cancer following Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy |
| SWOG S1418/BR006 | NSABP |
A Randomized, Phase III Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of MK-3475 as Adjuvant Therapy for Triple Receptor-Negative Breast Cancer with > 1 cm Residual Invasive Cancer or Positive Lymph Nodes (>pN1mic) After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy |
| SWOG S1416 | SWOG |
SWOG S1416: Phase II Randomized Placebo- Controlled Trial of Cisplatin with or Without ABT-888 (Veliparib) in Metastatic Triple- Negative Breast Cancer and/or BRCA Mutation-Associated Breast Cancer |
| NRG-BR002 | NRG |
A Phase IIR/III Trial of Standard of Care Therapy with or without Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) and/or Surgical Ablation for Newly Oligometastatic Breast Cancer |
| Alliance Foundation Trials AFT-38 | Alliance Foundation |
A Randomized, Open Label, Phase III Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Palbociclib + Anti-HER2 Therapy + Endocrine Therapy vs. Anti-HER2 Therapy + Endocrine Therapy after Induction Treatment for Hormone Receptor Positive (HR+)/HER2- Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer |
| Pharm CP-MGAH22-04 | MacroGenics, Inc. |
A Phase 3, Randomized Study of Margetuximab Plus Chemotherapy vs Trastuzumab Plus Chemotherapy in the Treatment of Patients with HER2+ Metastatic Breast Cancer Who Have Received Prior Anti-HER2 Therapies and Require Systemic Treatment |
| A011401 | Alliance |
Randomized Phase III Trial Evaluating the Role of Weight Loss in Adjuvant Treatment of Overweight and Obese Women with Early Breast Cancer |
| Alliance A011202 | Alliance |
Alliance A011202: A Randomized Phase III Trial Evaluating the Role of Axillary Lymph Node Dissection in Breast Cancer Patients (cT1-3 N1) Who Have Positive Sentinel Lymph Node Disease After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy |
| A011401 | Alliance |
Randomized Phase III Trial Evaluating the Role of Weight Loss in Adjuvant Treatment of Overweight and Obese Women with Early Breast Cancer |
| INST CR1701 | Institutional |
Assessment of Intraoperative Radiofrequency Spectroscopy For Improving Lumpectomy Outcomes with Respect to Re-excision Rates and Lumpectomy Size |
| NSABP B-51 | NRG |
A Randomized Phase III Clinical Trial Evaluating Post-Mastectomy Chestwall and Regional Nodal XRT and Post-Lumpectomy Regional Nodal XRT in Patients with Positive Axillary Nodes Before Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Who Convert to Pathologically Negative Axillary Nodes After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy (NSABP-B- 51/RTOG-1304) |
| NRG-BR002 | NRG |
A Phase IIR/III Trial of Standard of Care Therapy with or without Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) and/or Surgical Ablation for Newly Oligometastatic Breast Cancer |
Cervical
| Study ID | Sponsor | Description |
|---|---|---|
| GOG 0263 | NRG |
Randomized Phase III Clinical Trial of Adjuvant Radiation versus Chemoradiation in Intermediate Risk, Stage I/IIA Cervical Cancer Treated with Initial Radical Hysterectomy and Pelvic Lymphadenectomy |
| RTOG 0724/GOG-0724 | NRG |
Phase III Randomized Study of Concurrent Chemotherapy and Pelvic Radiation Therapy with or without Adjuvant Chemotherapy in High-Risk Patients with Early-Stage Cervical Carcinoma Following Radical Hysterectomy |
Gastrointestinal
| Study ID | Sponsor | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Alliance A021502 | Alliance |
Randomized Trial of Standard Chemotherapy Alone or Combined with Atezolizumab as Adjuvant Therapy for Patients with Stage III Colon Cancer and Deficient DNA Mismatch Repair |
| SWOG S1613 | SWOG |
A Randomized Phase II Study of Trastuzumab and Pertuzumab (TP) Compared to Cetuximab and Irinotecan (CETIRI) in Advanced/Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (MCRC) with HER-2 Amplification |
| SWOG S0820 | SWOG |
A Double Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial of Eflornithine and Sulindac to Prevent Recurrence of High Risk Adenomas and Second Primary Colorectal Cancers in Patients with Stage 0-III Colon or Rectal Cancer, Phase III – Preventing Adenomas of the Colon with Eflornithine and Sulindac (PACES) |
| SWOG S1505 | SWOG |
A Randomized Phase II Study of Perioperative Mfolfirinox versus Gemcitabine/Nab-Paclitaxel as Therapy for Resectable Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma |
Hematology
| Study ID | Sponsor | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SWOG S1612 | SWOG |
A Randomized Phase II/III Trial of Novel Therapeutics Versus Azacitidine in Newly Diagnosed Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) or High-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), Age 60 or Older (LEAP: Intergroup Less Intense AML Platform Trial) |
Lung
| Study ID | Sponsor | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ECOG-ACRIN EA5142 | ECOG-ACRIN |
Adjuvant Nivolumab in Resected Lung Cancers (ANVIL) – A Randomized Phase III Study of Nivolumab After Surgical Resection and Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancers |
| Alliance A081105 | Alliance |
Randomized Double Blind Placebo Controlled Study of Erlotinib or Placebo in Patients with Completely Resected Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC); AKA ALCHEMIST |
| Alliance A151216 | Alliance |
Adjuvant Lung Cancer Enrichment Marker Identification and Sequencing Trial (ALCHEMIST) |
| ECOG-ACRIN E4512 | ECOG-ACRIN |
A Phase III Double-Blind Trial for Surgically Resected Early St Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Crizotinib versus Placebo for Patients with Tumors Harboring the naplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) Fusion Protein |
| SWOG S1403 | SWOG |
A Randomized Phase II/III Trial of Afatinib plus Cetuximab versus Afatinib Alone in Treatment-Naïve Patients with Advanced, EGFR Mutation Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer |
| NRG-LU002 | NRG |
Maintenance Systemic Therapy Versus Consolidative Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) Plus Maintenance Systemic Therapy for Limited Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): A Randomized Phase II/III Trial |
| SWOG S1400 | SWOG |
Phase II/III Biomarker-Driven Master Protocol for Previously Treated Squamous Cell Lung Cancer (Lung-Map) |
| SWOG S1400F | SWOG |
A Phase II Study of MEDI4736 (Durvalumab) Plus Tremelimumab as Therapy for Patients with Previously Treated Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 Resistant Stage IV Squamous Cell Lung Cancer (LUNG-MAP NON-MATCH SUB- STUDY) |
| SWOG S1400G | SWOG |
SWOG S1400G: A Phase II Study of Talazoparib (BMN 673) in Patients with Homologous Recombination Repair Deficiency Positive Stage IV Squamous Cell Lung Cancer (Lung-MAP Sub-Study) |
| SWOG S1400I | SWOG |
A Phase III Randomized Study of Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab Versus Nivolumab for Previously Treated Patients with Stage IV Squamous Cell Lung Cancer and No Matching Biomarker (Lung-Map Sub-Study) |
| NRG Oncology NRG- LU002 | NRG |
Maintenance Systemic Therapy Versus Consolidative Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) Plus Maintenance Systemic Therapy for Limited Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): A Randomized Phase II/III Trial |
Multiple Sites/Other
| Study ID | Sponsor | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SWOG S1609 | SWOG |
DART: Dual Anti-CTLA-4 and Anti-PD-1 Blockade in Rare Tumors |
| INST 96144 | City of Hope |
Molecular Genetics Studies of Cancer Patients and Their Relatives |
| DCP-001 | Division of Cancer Prevention |
Division of Cancer Prevention DCP-001: Use of a Clinical Trial Screening Tool to Address Cancer Health Disparities in the NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) |
Prostate
| Study ID | Sponsor | Description |
|---|---|---|
| NRG Oncology NRG- GU003 | NRG |
A Randomized Phase III Trial of Hypofractionated Post-Prostatectomy Radiation Therapy (HYPORT) versus Conventional Post-Prostatectomy Radiation Therapy (COPORT) |
| NRG Oncology NRG- GU005 | NRG |
Phase III IGRT and SBRT vs IGRT and Hypofractionated IMRT for Localized Intermediate Risk Prostate Cancer |
Skin/Melanoma
| Study ID | Sponsor | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SWOG S1616 | SWOG |
A Phase II Randomized Study of Nivolumab (NSC-748726) with Ipilimumab (NSC- 732442) or Ipilimumab Alone in Advanced |
| ECOG-ACRIN EA6134 | ECOG-ACRIN |
A Randomized Phase III trial of Dabrafenib + Trametinib followed by Ipilimumab + Nivolumab at Progression vs. Ipilimumab + Nivolumab followed by Dabrafenib + Trametinib at Progression in Patients With Advanced BRAFV600 Mutant Melanoma |