Sub-Specializing Makes a Big Impact on Cancer Care
Cancer care today is advancing at a rapid pace. As treatment options multiply and research grows, patients benefit most when their doctors aren’t just experts in general oncology but in the specific type of cancer they face. This growing need for sub-specialization, where oncologists dedicate deeper focus to certain cancers, is a philosophy that the doctors at Charleston Oncology have woven into their practice.
“Oncologists are trained to treat a wide range of cancers, but, as the field expands, it’s become clear that concentrating our attention on particular areas allows us to better serve our patients,” explained George Keogh, MD, a partner with Charleston Oncology. Just as surgeons specialize in distinct areas of the body, medical oncologists, too, are finding value in refining their expertise. The difference, Dr. Keogh said, is that oncologists can’t specialize too narrowly; after all, cancer is a multifaceted disease that can touch various organs and systems. “We have to balance being too specialized or too general,” Dr. Keogh noted. “That balance requires collaboration with our other doctors and members of the patient’s care team.”
That collaboration is something Charleston Oncology has embraced for years. “When we surveyed our partners,” Dr. Keogh said, “we found we already had a nice blend of interests. What we’ve done recently is formalize what we were already doing and align our focus areas to give patients the most informed, thoughtful care possible.” The physicians are then able to provide leadership and support clinical trials within their various sub-specialties.
The benefits for patients are significant. When people are diagnosed with cancer, they’re immediately thrust into a world of new terms, technologies and decisions. Having an oncologist who not only understands the broad principles of cancer treatment but who also specializes in their specific disease connects the patient directly with the expert. The groundbreaking research, the most effective treatments and the latest promising clinical approaches are already part of the conversation.
How collaboration supports personalized care
“The clinical research corresponds with the doctors’ areas of focus and is linked together through tumor boards, which are multidisciplinary meetings with surgeons, radiation oncologists, pathologists and radiologists,” explained Dr. Keogh. “Ancillary services like the cancer center nutritionists; social workers and nurse navigators for the patients; exercise therapists; herbologists; and the medical legal clinic for people who need help with the challenges of bills and related issues and survivorship can also join the conversation. All these different aspects of cancer care are vitally important, and we come together regularly to meet and discuss cases.”
The collaboration seamlessly connects Charleston Oncology to the broader Roper St. Francis Healthcare cancer care continuum. From diagnosis to treatment to survivorship, patients have access to an integrated network that keeps their care coordinated and personalized. “People are not always aware of the wide breadth of supportive services that Roper St. Francis Healthcare provides to patients in coordination with Charleston Oncology providing medical oncology care, but it is a vast comprehensive network of dedicated care providers,” Dr. Keogh said.
Charleston Oncology continues to advance along with the ever-evolving field of cancer treatment. By specializing in certain cancers, its focus allows doctors to develop a deeper knowledge of a smaller group of diseases. “That expertise benefits our patients and our physicians,” Dr. Keogh concluded. In the complex world of cancer treatment, that kind of focus makes all the difference.
By Anne Toole
