As the matriarch of her family, Phyliss Davis has always taken care of everyone before herself. Between a busy schedule and devoting time to her granddaughter Wynter, Phyliss made a habit of putting her own health on the back-burner.
Hoping to check another job off her to-do list, she finally squeezed a routine wellness appointment onto her calendar. But when Phyliss’ medical chart showed no recent mammogram, her primary care physician grew concerned.
"When my doctor asked how long it had been since my last mammogram, I didn’t want to admit that I hadn’t had one in years," Phyliss said, remembering how the medical professional urged her to get a breast exam as soon as possible. "Because I didn’t have a family history of breast cancer, I thought I didn’t have to worry."
Luckily, Phyliss came in at just the right time. Her mammogram caught a concerning lump that couldn’t be seen with the naked eye. Following a biopsy, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Throughout her cancer journey, the grandmother would learn the importance of taking care of her own health and body. And soon, she would truly understand the words her mother told her as a child: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
PhylissCare
Published on October 14, 2020
Last updated 11:02 AM August 28, 2023
From the very beginning, Phyliss had a fighting spirit. She was determined to beat breast cancer and be there for her family for years to come.
For each patient, I present the information in an easy-to-understand way. I make sure to discuss treatment options without overwhelming them. I always allow ample time for people to ask questions to allay their anxiety.
- Dr. Sheree Brown
Wellstar Radiation Oncology
Listen to Phyliss' story
Wellstar offered support to Phyliss every step of her breast cancer journey.
Passing the baton
From the very beginning, Phyliss had a fighting spirit. She was determined to beat breast cancer and be there for her family for years to come. There was also no question about who would be on her healthcare team.
"As soon as I was diagnosed, I knew to go to Wellstar. There was a team of people supporting me there, and it was so close to home," Phyliss shared. "Wellstar made me feel like I wasn’t on this journey alone."
Wellstar quickly formed Phyliss’ care team of health experts and advocates, referring her to breast cancer specialists within the robust cancer network.
The health system’s digital patient portal, MyChart, also helped her appointments run smoothly so Phyliss could focus on her care without any added stress. In her MyChart account, all of her medical records were already together in one digital space.
"It was like passing the baton," Phyliss explained the seamless specialty care process. "With MyChart, all my health information was organized and easily accessible. I didn’t have to worry about gathering information or having a copy of my medical chart with me. It was all ready to go as soon as I came to the next appointment."
Between her devoted care team and expert treatment, Phyliss felt as though she was part of a close-knit healthcare family.
"The doctors took the time to answer my questions and told me to call if I thought of anything else when I got home. They said, ‘I don’t want you to be worried about something if I could answer your questions and ease your fears.'"
Wellstar Radiation Oncologist Dr. Sheree Brown became a key player in Phyliss’ cancer treatment. The specialist shared how Wellstar cares for each and every patient throughout the diagnosis and treatment process.
"For each patient, I present the information in an easy-to-understand way. I make sure to discuss treatment options without overwhelming them," Dr. Brown said of her approach to care. "I always allow ample time for people to ask questions to allay their anxiety."
Wellstar’s compassionate care made all the difference. Phyliss left her cancer treatment consultation with peace of mind and a concrete treatment plan in place.
Beating breast cancer
Phyliss’ cancer was caught at an early stage. But even so, her care team didn’t waste any time and sprang into action so Phyliss would have the best possible outcome. The medical experts quickly created a customized cancer treatment plan, which included surgery to remove the tumor and radiation to prevent the disease from returning.
Following Phyliss’ successful lumpectomy, she received daily rounds of radiation at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center. Dr. Brown led the treatment, using her knowledge and expertise to treat Phyliss’ cancer effectively.
"In Phyliss’ case, external beam radiation was delivered using the prone technique. That meant she received treatment lying face down instead of sitting up," Dr. Brown explained. "This particular process allows the breasts to hang away from the body, minimizing radiation exposure to the lungs."
Using this specialized method, Dr. Brown could target the cancer without endangering healthy tissues. For cancer patients, access to innovative treatments and technology is critical to improving their outcomes.
"Wellstar has state-of-the-art equipment available, which allows us to offer many cutting-edge cancer treatments," Dr. Brown said. "We also have multidisciplinary tumor boards to help provide comprehensive treatment plans for our patients."
The radiation sessions were a success. Now after finishing treatment and becoming a breast cancer survivor, Phyliss can focus on being there for her entire family.
Phyliss encourages women who may be putting off preventative health screenings to take the ultimate step towards practicing self-care.
"Women are the heart of the family. We make sure our loved ones are taken care of, but we need to see ourselves as important too," she said. "Don’t neglect your health. Take the time to go for your yearly physical and mammogram. It’s the cornerstone of your health."
Have you had a mammogram?
Screening for breast cancer at regular intervals can help catch breast cancer earlier — before symptoms appear — for better outcomes. Learn more about mammograms and find a location near you. Or call (678) 581-5900 to schedule your mammogram now.
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Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center Renews Accreditation for Rectal Cancer Program
Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center has earned another three-year accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons. This accreditation demonstrates our commitment to providing personalized, high-quality cancer care close to home for patients in Georgia.
To achieve voluntary NAPRC accreditation, a rectal center must demonstrate compliance with the NAPRC standards addressing program management, clinical services and quality improvement for patients. Centers are required to establish a multidisciplinary rectal cancer team that includes clinical representatives from surgery, pathology, radiology, radiation oncology and medical oncology.
At Wellstar, rectal cancer patients have a multidisciplinary team on their side through every step of treatment. Each patient works with a nurse navigator to schedule appointments with specialists. Patients meet with a medical oncologist, as well as a surgical oncologist or colorectal surgeon. Imaging and lab tests are reviewed by a multidisciplinary board of rectal cancer physicians, efficiently providing patients with input from several experts in cancer care. During the course of treatment, that multidisciplinary board will continue to follow the patient and discuss the best next steps, tailoring care to fit each patient’s individual needs.
Additionally, the program at Wellstar Kennestone met standards addressing the clinical services that the rectal cancer program provides, including Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA testing), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computerized Tomography (CT) imaging for cancer staging, which allow patients to start treatment within a defined timeframe. Rectal cancer programs accredited by the NAPRC undergo a site visit every three years and are also accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.
“Our patients are surrounded by a team of experienced rectal cancer experts who provide the highest level of personalized care,” said Wellstar Surgical Oncologist Dr. Sahir Shroff, who serves as the rectal cancer program chair. “We are proud to be the first medical center in metro Atlanta to receive this important accreditation. Our pioneering efforts to adhere to the most rigorous standards and combine the latest technologies and techniques help us achieve excellence in rectal cancer care for our patients.”
Accreditation by the NAPRC is granted only to those programs that are committed to providing the best possible care to patients with rectal cancer. The NAPRC provides the structure and resources to develop and operate a high-quality rectal center. Accredited programs follow a model for organizing and managing a rectal center to ensure multidisciplinary, integrated, comprehensive rectal cancer services. Wellstar Kennestone earned its first accreditation in 2022.
Highlights
Wellstar Offers Advanced Colorectal Cancer Care Close to Home
When a Wellstar patient is diagnosed with colorectal cancer, their multidisciplinary care team works with them to create a personalized care plan with advanced treatment available at every step.
Support from the start
Patients are surrounded by a team of experts from the very beginning of their cancer care. To better prepare patients for treatment, Wellstar offers a “pre-hab” program with support services to care for patients’ overall well-being.
“Patients often ask what they can eat or do to prepare for treatment, and we want them to feel empowered,” said Wellstar Surgical Oncologist Dr. Sahir Shroff.
Patients can meet with team members including dietitians, physical therapists or behavioral healthcare providers so they feel their best both physically and mentally.
Learn more about cancer support services.
Innovative care options
Robotic surgeries provide patients with benefits like less recovery pain, less blood loss, fewer complications and shorter hospital stays, or for some outpatient procedures, no hospital stay at all. That means patients can start living cancer-free sooner and get back to their routines and the activities they enjoy.
About 85% of colorectal cancer surgeries at Wellstar are now robotic procedures, according to Wellstar Surgical Oncologist Dr. Sartaj Sanghera.
“Robotic surgery has really provided us the tools as far as the instruments and vision so that a larger cohort of surgeons in general, colorectal surgeons and surgical oncologists have been able to adopt the technology,” Dr. Sanghera said.
Patients with smaller, early-stage tumors may be candidates for transanal minimally invasive surgery, known as TAMIS. Rather than making an incision in the abdomen to remove a tumor, the surgeon is able to access the tumor through the anus.
“It is working through a natural orifice, through the anus. It’s not actually poking a hole in the belly,” Dr. Sanghera said. “It’s really minimally invasive.”
TAMIS is usually offered as an outpatient surgery with no hospital stay. It has been especially helpful in treating patients who may be at higher risk with traditional surgery due to their age or other health conditions, Dr. Sanghera noted.
Clinicians also adapt treatment methods based on the location of the cancer, according to Dr. Shroff. For example, if one spot is near a blood vessel, the care team may opt to use radiation rather than surgery to prevent blood loss.
New approach to treatment improves outcomes
The colorectal cancer experts at Wellstar have adopted a relatively new approach to treatment called total neoadjuvant therapy, or TNT, which makes surgery the last step in the cancer treatment process. Patients receive chemotherapy and radiation first, then finish treatment with surgery.
“Recognizing that rectal cancer is a systemic disease, with risks of spreading to other parts of the body, we have evolved in our management of rectal cancer, offering an operation as the last step in the treatment process,” Dr. Shroff said.
Wellstar has seen positive results with this technique.
“We have adopted that approach for nearly all patients now,” said Wellstar Hematologist and Oncologist Dr. John French. “We are seeing that if you do that approach, it’s safe, more patients are able to complete all the therapy lines, and we are noticing an increase in pathologic complete response rates.”
Pathologic complete response describes the absence of any detectable cancer cells in a tissue sample following a particular treatment. It refers to the absence of cancer cells in the area of the body where the tumor was originally located, as well as anywhere the cancer may have spread.
Nonoperative care
Some patients at Wellstar don’t require surgery at all.
“There have been recent studies of a subgroup of patients who are treated pre-surgery through chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation and they are seeing great responses,” Dr. Shroff said.
The care team continues to monitor these patients for any signs of cancer.
“We're excited to offer this different pathway for patients,” Dr. Shroff said.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is based on the concept that a patient’s own immune system can fight their cancer.
When given, immunotherapy drugs wake up the patient’s own immune system to recognize and fight the cancer. People with colorectal cancer are screened for four proteins that help with DNA repair. If these proteins are missing or mutated, the patient is more likely to respond to immunotherapy.
While immunotherapy has been groundbreaking in the treatment of stage 4 colorectal cancer, only about 15% of patients are found to be eligible for the treatment based on their protein screenings, Dr. French noted.
If you are interested in immunotherapy, ask your clinician about your care options.
Top-of-the-line rectal cancer care
Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center has received accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons.
To achieve voluntary NAPRC accreditation, a rectal cancer center must demonstrate compliance with the NAPRC standards that address program management, clinical services and quality improvement for patients. Centers are required to establish a multidisciplinary rectal cancer team that includes clinical representatives from surgery, pathology, radiology, radiation oncology and medical oncology.
Highlights
Partner with Your Care Team to Help Prevent Gynecological Cancer
The more you know about your health, the more empowered you are to take control of it. There’s no greater example of the power you have to protect your future when it comes to preventative health visits and cervical cancer. While cervical cancer is one of the most common gynecological cancers, it doesn’t have to be.
With the guidance of their physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner, women and teens can learn important information and take action that could potentially save their lives. That’s because most types of cervical cancer are now completely preventable.
It’s not too late to vaccinate
Cervical cancer typically affects women between 30 and 50 years of age. Younger women are also at risk.
Of course, prevention works best when it starts early. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine prevents cervical cancer. It is recommended to give the vaccine to children around 11 or 12 but can be given as early as 9 years of age.
If not previously vaccinated, the HPV vaccine is recommended for everyone through the age of 26 and can be administered by a primary care clinician or gynecologist. Even some adults in their 30s and 40s who were previously unvaccinated benefit from getting an HPV vaccination.
A pediatrician, primary care clinician, gynecologist or many pharmacists and healthcare workers in public health departments can administer the vaccine.
How well does it work?
The HPV vaccine has been found to provide close to 100 percent protection against infections and pre-cancers caused by HPV.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HPV infections and cervical precancers (abnormal cells on the cervix that can lead to cancer) have dropped significantly since the vaccine has been in use in the United States. Among teen girls, infections with HPV types that cause most HPV cancers and genital warts have dropped 86 percent. There has been a 71 percent decrease for young adult women.
Identify cervical cancer earlier for better outcomes
Women can also be screened for cervical cancer at regular intervals. There are two tests that can help:
- The more traditional is a Pap smear, which looks for precancers, or cell changes on the cervix.
- The newer HPV test identifies the human papillomavirus, a virus that can cause the cells to become cancerous.
Most health plans cover preventative care services—like vaccines and screening tests—at no additional cost. For people without insurance, Wellstar practices have low-cost annual exams that include evaluation for cervical cancer and a Pap test if it is medically appropriate.
To find a primary care clinician, gynecologist or pediatrician, call (770) 956-STAR (7827) or schedule online by clicking the “Book Now” button at the top of any page.
Take control of your health and read how to lower your risk and recognize the signs of gynecological cancer.