Wellstar Community Health Programs

Wellstar North Fulton Cancer Center has added and expanded cutting-edge services that can shorten treatment times and make cancer recovery more convenient and less stressful. These services include:

• CyberKnife, a non-invasive robotic system that focuses radiation treatment with precision
• STAT Clinics, where specialists collaborate on one day to evaluate a patient and plan cancer treatment
• Nurse navigators to guide patients to resources at Wellstar and in the community
• Expanded inpatient capacity and distinctive surgical specialties

“We have 100% of what patients need,” said Dr. Laura Pearson, a breast surgeon at Wellstar North Fulton. “We’ve blossomed in so many ways to treat different cancer types and have more services to offer our patients in this community.”

CyberKnife targets hard-to-treat tumors

Wellstar North Fulton was the second Wellstar location to receive a CyberKnife system. CyberKnife precisely targets cancerous and non-cancerous tumors. This minimizes damage to healthy tissue around tumors.

CyberKnife allows radiation oncologists to deliver “very high doses of radiation at a very small target,” said Dr. Mark McLaughlin, a radiation oncologist. This type of precise treatment is called radiosurgery.

Patients treated with CyberKnife typically have shorter treatment spans. For example, breast cancer patients undergoing conventional radiation might have four to six weeks of treatment, five days a week. With CyberKnife, patients may complete their treatment in just five days.

According to Dr. McLaughlin, another CyberKnife advantage is the machine’s ability to deliver targeted treatment even when a patient moves.

“For example, if a patient has breast cancer, she’ll be breathing during treatment. She has to breathe, of course, but with breathing, the tumor volume or target volume is constantly changing. The CyberKnife allows us to track and move the machine (to target the tumor) in real time,” he said.

Providers collaborate to diagnose and begin treatment without delay

Wellstar North Fulton also has STAT Clinics, which stands for Specialty Teams and Treatments, for many types of cancer, including breast, head and neck, brain and spine, and lung.

Dr. Pearson described STAT Clinics as a “one-stop shop where patients meet all the people who will be part of the cancer team in one day: surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, potentially plastic surgeons and genetics experts, if that’s appropriate.”

Patients and their families appreciate not making multiple trips or trying to piece together a treatment plan. They’re also comforted to see the communication among everyone involved in their care, she noted.

Cancer nurse navigators map the road to treatment and recovery

A cancer diagnosis can leave patients and their families feeling shocked, scared and unsure of where to turn. Nurse navigators help patients get their bearings by:

• Answering questions about treatment and scheduling appointments
• Connecting patients and families to community resources for transportation, nutrition, financial support and more
• Helping with insurance questions
• Providing emotional support during a difficult time

“These navigators are so approachable and warm,” Dr. Pearson said. “In the cancer program, we try to give patients points of contact and information. We never want them to feel like they’re out there on their own.”

Distinctive specialties and expanded inpatient capacity

Wellstar North Fulton has added beds for post-surgical cancer patients who need an overnight hospital stay. The medical center’s intensive care unit (ICU) is also tailored to care for cancer patients’ needs.

“For our more complicated cases, like colorectal or prostate patients, it allows us to make sure we have the space and the resources for them to get the care they need while they’re recovering,” Dr. Pearson said.

“Neurosurgery has expanded its footprint too. We not only treat brain tumors, but we also do a lot of vascular and neurovascular procedures,” Dr. McLaughlin said. “We’re doing some very high-tech things.”

Added Dr. Pearson: “I’m so proud of how we’ve brought this all to the North Fulton community. Patients don’t have to feel like they have to leave the area to get the expert care they need.”

Learn more about Wellstar North Fulton Cancer Center.