Cancer Center

We are proud to elevate our radiation oncology services with the recent addition of the Varian Ethos™ therapy system. This cutting-edge technology marks a significant shift in how we approach cancer treatment, moving from a "one-size-fits-all" plan to true patient-specific planning.

The Power of Real-Time Adaptation

Traditional radiation therapy relies on a static plan created before treatment begins. However, throughout a course of therapy, a patient’s anatomy can shift, and tumors often shrink or change shape as they respond to treatment. In the past, addressing these changes required new scans and days of replanning, often necessitating larger treatment margins that could expose healthy tissue to radiation.

With the Ethos system, we no longer have to settle for a pre-set plan. The new system uses superior, high-detail imaging to visualize the patient’s anatomy in real time while they are on the treatment table. This allows our team to generate a new, optimized treatment plan in minutes, ensuring the radiation dose is precisely focused on the tumor—even if its position or shape has changed since the day before. By tailoring the plan to the patient’s body in the moment, we maximize the dose to the target while sparing surrounding healthy organs, ultimately reducing side effects and improving the patient experience.

Targeted Care for Complex Needs

The Ethos system is particularly transformative for cancers in areas of the body where internal motion and anatomical changes are common. While beneficial for many diagnoses, this technology brings the greatest impact to:

• Urological and Gynecological Cancers: Ideal for prostate, cervical, bladder, rectal, and anal cancers, where daily variations in the bladder and rectum necessitate precise, adaptive adjustments.

• Abdominal and GI Cancers: Gastric and pancreatic cases benefit significantly from our ability to compensate for bowel motion.

• Breast Cancer: For partial breast irradiation, where the surgical cavity (seroma) may change size or shape during the course of treatment, our system ensures the highest level of conformality.

• Rapidly Responding Tumors: Cancers that shrink quickly, such as lymphoma, are ideal candidates for adaptive therapy because we can continuously update the plan to follow the tumor as it recedes.

By investing in the Ethos system, CommonSpirit Cancer Center St. Anthony is ensuring that our patients receive the most accurate, efficient, and personalized radiation therapy available today.

Other specialized cancer care services at the CommonSpirit Cancer Center St. Anthony include:

• Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS)
• Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT)
• Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) - Radioimmunotherapy with Zevalin
• Professional nursing care and triage
• A certified Nurse Navigator to help patients with medical, emotional, social, spiritual and financial aspects of cancer
• A certified Genetic Counselor to assess hereditary cancer factors
• Pain-management specialists
• Nutritional support with a wide range of expertise and assets
• Lymphedema services
• Integrative Healing services, including therapeutic massage, music therapy, aromatherapy, breathing exercises, relaxation/visualization, humor and spiritual counseling.
• Abundant patient educational options, including the extensive COPE (Cancer Online Patient Education) library.

Supporting you through cancer treatment.

At CommonSpirit Cancer Center St. Anthony, we understand the importance of support services throughout the cancer treatment process. Services are available to all patients, providing assistance and counseling to help them and their families cope with health, stress and social issues surrounding cancer.

Cancer Support Services Include:

• Assessment for psychological and social issues to determine treatment needs
• Counseling (individual and family) to help with addiction, anxiety, depression, hostility and family related issues.
• Integrative Healing Programs - offered through the St. Anthony Hospital Mission and Ministry program. 
• Stress Management classes designed for patients and their families that includes behavioral health, healing and mindful meditation, health care communication skills and relaxation techniques and biofeedback.
• Smoking Cessation (Individual and Group)

For more information about the support services available to cancer treatment patients, contact the Nurse Navigator.

Phone: 720-321-8232.

The multidisciplinary clinic at CommonSpirit Cancer Center St. Anthony allows our patients to see all of their providers on the same day, offering a streamlined and efficient approach to cancer care. Our model aims to provide comprehensive, coordinated care by bringing together a team of specialists to evaluate and manage each patient's condition in a single visit. Typically, the team consists of a surgeon, a medical oncologist, a radiation oncologist, a genetic counselor, and a nurse navigator. 

The benefit of this approach is that patients receive expert opinions from each provider in one session, reducing the need for multiple appointments and enabling quicker decision-making regarding treatment plans. During the clinic visit, the patient’s medical history, imaging results, biopsy reports, and any other relevant diagnostic information are reviewed collectively. The specialists then collaborate to develop a personalized treatment plan that addresses the patient’s specific diagnosis, cancer stage, and overall health.

This integrated care model not only provides convenience for patients who would otherwise have to schedule separate appointments with each specialist, it also promotes a more coordinated and cohesive treatment plan. By having all providers in one place at the same time, communication is streamlined and the patient’s care plan is quickly developed, reducing delays and enhancing the efficiency of treatment initiation.