Radiosurgery is a noninvasive treatment, where doctors use advanced technology to deliver a precise dose of radiation to a cancerous tumor – without having to cut into the body. Radiosurgery destroys the targeted area without harming the surrounding healthy tissue.
“The technology allows us to track the patient’s position in real time – so we can be sure we’re hitting the target every single time,” said Pauling Chang, M.D., a radiation oncologist at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. Another benefit for patients, Dr. Chang says, is the convenience of one-day treatment. “I had a patient who had radiosurgery in the morning, and was able to attend a dinner party that same night.”
PAMF is an early adopter of innovative technology – and was the first health care organization in the world to offer this new, precise, radiosurgery technology as part of its comprehensive Cancer Care Program. Learn more about radiosurgery and take a virtual tour with Dr. Chang in this video.
The Palo Alto Center Radiation Oncology Department’s three newest employees bring some very special qualities to work – gentle natures, soft fur and wet noses! Therapy specialists Sparky, Sunny and Wallie are the first three dogs who are part of PAMF’s Irene Davidson Animal Assisted Therapy Program that launched in January 2012.
Although Gordon Ray, M.D., medical director of the Palo Alto Center’s Radiation Oncology Department, had read about the benefits of pet therapy for cancer patients in scientific journals, it was a real live dog visit to his department that inspired him to start PAMF’s Animal Assisted Therapy Program.
One in eight women in the Bay Area is diagnosed with breast cancer. Runi Chattopadhyay, M.D., knows how overwhelming the news of a new diagnosis can be.
A PAMF surgical oncologist at the Palo Alto Center with special training in breast cancer surgery and a regular volunteer at Breast Cancer Connections, Dr. Chattopadhyay says she feels very fortunate to be able to guide women through a difficult time and provide support and counsel.
I don’t ever remember a time when I didn’t want to be a doctor. When I graduated from nursery school at age five, on my old my diploma, which I still have, it says “I want to be a doctor.” So it’s up there with all my other diplomas.
I think it starts by recognizing that every patient is different. Every patient brings something to their situation that you have to understand – it’s not not just the disease, it’s really that person’s values, that person’s experiences, their perception.
I think back to when I was in medical school, one of the senior physicians sat down with four or five medical students and told us, “At, the end of the day when you leave the room with a patient, that patient should feel better because you were there.”
It doesn’t mean that you necessarily did something miraculous or cured them, or found an answer that everybody else missed; it could just be listening. It could just be sitting there and soaking it in and listening to the patient and communicating that you care.
If you grew up in a beach town in the 1970s and 80s as I did, working on your summer tan was pretty much a rite of passage. Lie out, burn, tan, repeat. As teenagers, we never thought we’d have to worry about our skin later in life. Well, now it’s later in life and, at age 40, I am so happy to have met the wonderful dermatology staff at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation.
PAMF Dermatologist Dr. Kirstin Vin-Christian has been terrific at monitoring my skin for changes, and sure enough, she found some problems. One mole she had been watching, reached the point that it was a borderline melanoma – certainly progressing in that direction. Although the surgical excision was not exactly fun, she made me feel at ease by chatting about our kids throughout the whole process. She’s a lovely person and a terrific doctor. And now I tell every friend I grew up with back in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to go and get their skin checked! It could save your life.
Thank you to PAMF patient Melanie Norall for submitting this post to the “Stories” section of the PAMF blog.
Rendering of new PAMF Sunnyvale Center being built at Old San Francisco Road.
A life defined by “conscience, compassion and competence” has been honored in an extraordinary way. Mike and Linda Markkula of Woodside, California, have donated $600,000 to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) in honor of their friend Fr. Paul L. Locatelli. Their gift is also a challenge gift to inspire others to donate toward the construction of PAMF’s new Cancer Center in Sunnyvale, located at 301 Old San Francisco Road, and to name the entire center after Paul Locatelli, S.J.
Carla Gomez, PAMF Healthy Breast Program Coordinator, reaching out to community at Safeway stores in Santa Cruz
Carla Gomez, PAMF’s Healthy Breast Campaign coordinator in Santa Cruz, is working at a table set up at various Safeway store locations throughout Santa Cruz this month (October) to let people know about our Healthy Breast Program and resources.
This PAMF Healthy Breast Program reaches out to uninsured women to educate them on the importance of breast cancer screenings, and to connect them to resources that are available. Since its inception this past February, we have reached out to more than 3,400 individuals and have provided follow up treatment for 32 women, 5 of whom had surgical removal including 1 breast cancer diagnosis.
Frank delaRama, R.N., M.S., AOCSN, Oncology Nurse Specialist and Prostate Cancer Nurse Navigator
Recent buzz on PSA screening is up again, thanks to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) draft recommendations to be published soon, which plan to downgrade PSA screening from “I – inconclusive” to “D – no benefit” for men younger than 75.
My first gut-level feeling as a health care provider is fear that men will flat out avoid PSA screening based upon this recommendation. On the other hand, perhaps this news will uncover an opportune teaching moment, for men to have a thorough discussion with their physician about the actual pros and cons of PSA screening, as well as prostate cancer screening in general.
In this video, women who are Palo Alto Medical Foundation patients, family members and doctors share their inspirational stories of care and growth through fighting breast cancer. They created this video to inform and help others on the journey of breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and recovery.
Following his own prostate cancer treatment, PAMF patient Mike Lowe offered to produce a DVD for the Cancer Care Center to give to all newly-diagnosed prostate cancer patients. With support from his doctor, and funding from two foundations, the patient-produced video – “Prostate Cancer Survivors’ Perspective,” is now given by PAMF to each newly diagnosed prostate cancer patient and has had more than 1,000 views on YouTube.
“The Prostate Cancer Survivors’ Perspective” video has guys who have gone through it talking directly to the new prostate cancer patients,” explains Lowe. “I had to do it because I thought it was necessary, and this is my contribution to the welfare of others who get diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Please click here to view an ADA compliant version of this video.
Welcome! This blog is designed as a forum for engaging patients, their families and the community in conversations about health care, and to help promote health education and wellness with articles and tips from our doctors and staff from different departments. We welcome your comments and insight, however, please remember that this blog does not address specific patient medical issues or provide personalized medical advice. If you have a specific medical question, please contact your doctor directly.Thank you for visiting our blog.
