AAMC’s beautiful new cancer website is full of resources, videos and stories.
Learn more at
askAAMC.org/cancer
.
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discuss a diagnosis and determine the
best course of action for each patient. A
nurse navigator coordinates appointments
and maintains full communication with
patients and referring physicians.
“
Teresa Putscher, my nurse navigator,
was wonderful,” says Annapolis resident
Croom Coward. “She answered all
my questions, set up my tests and
appointments, and actually met me at my
thoracic surgeon’s office.”
Just a week earlier, Coward had had
a sinus cold and cough while she was
visiting her son in Atlanta. She went to
an urgent care center where she was told
she had pneumonia. Three days after
returning home, a radiologist called to tell
her the chest x-rays showed a suspicious
nodule. Her primary care physician in
Annapolis immediately referred her to the
Glossary of Terms
Nurse navigator:
Nurse advocate
who helps patients access treatment,
communicate with doctors and
interpret care plans. They are a source
of information and a comforting,
consistent presence in a stressful time.
Novalis Tx:
A precise method of
radiosurgery that exactly targets
tumors, protecting healthy tissue from
unnecessary radiation exposure.
Radiation oncologist:
A physician
who specializes in the treatment
of cancer patients using radiation
therapy as the main form of treatment.
Rapid access program:
Primary
care providers can refer patients with
a lung cancer diagnosis to this AAMC
program that can quickly coordinate
care through a team of experts.
Thoracic surgeon:
A physician who
specializes in the prevention, early
diagnosis and treatment of (non-
cardiac) diseases of the chest.
Smoking:
Get Help to Quit
We know that smoking can cause major
damage to our bodies and can even cause
death. Even so, for some of us, choosing
to stop smoking is no easy task. But given
the facts and, most important, support,
you can decide today to put out the
cigarettes for good.
According to the National Institutes of
Health, smokers increase their chances
of quitting by 40 percent when they
participate in smoking cessation classes
or one-to-one counseling. If you’re
thinking of kicking the habit, consider
trying a stop-smoking aid, which could
more than double your chance of success.
You might try:
›
Nicotine replacement therapy (over-the-
counter patches, lozenges and gums) or
prescription nasal sprays and inhalers—
they can ease withdrawal symptoms
›
Non-nicotine prescription drugs such
as Zyban or Chantix to help with
withdrawal symptoms
›
Counseling, either one-on-one or through
stop-smoking phone lines, classes or
support groups
When you’re ready to quit, pick a date
and decide on a plan for quitting. Using
more than one stop-smoking strategy
often works best.
rapid access program, and within days her
cancer had been diagnosed and she was
scheduled for surgery.
“
Each patient has a unique scenario and
brings a unique situation to the table,” says
Luqman Dad, MD, radiation oncologist.
“
Working as a team to share our expertise
and knowledge, we are able to tailor
therapy specific to the individual patient.”
Dr. Dad works with the most advanced
technology available for treating lung
cancer: stereotactic body radiation
therapy using the Novalis Tx. It allows
doctors to identify and “map” the location
of tumors with extraordinary precision
and apply high doses of radiation
directly to the tumor while avoiding the
surrounding tissue. Only institutions with
the highest level of patient safety and
care can deliver this complex treatment.
AAMC offers a seven-week “Become Smoke-Free” program designed to help
participants break the habit. Visit
AAMCevents.org
or call askAAMC at
443-481-5555
to register. Courses are free to anyone who lives, works or attends school in Anne
Arundel County. For individual counseling, contact our smoking cessation
counselors at
443-481-5366
or
443-481-5367
.
In 2012, AAMC earned a three-year
accreditation in radiation oncology from
the American College of Radiology and
the American Society for Radiation
Oncology. It is just one more example of
how AAMC stands at the leading edge of
cancer therapy.
Croom Coward with grandchildren Luis
Rincon, 5, Franklin McDow, 9, Solomon
McDow, 7, and Emma Plumb, 7