June marks Cancer Survivor’s Month, and more than 18 million people in the United States are cancer survivors who are living with, through and beyond their disease, according to the American Association for Cancer Research.
Receiving the news of a cancer diagnosis can be frightening and life changing. However, Dr. Paul Shaughnessy, medical director of the Transplant and Cellular Therapy program at Methodist Hospital, said its team has highly trained members that support pediatric and adult patients through diagnosis, treatment and survivorship.
The cancer treatment recommended by doctors will vary depending on age, risk factors, type of cancer, and stage of cancer. In some cases, patients may receive a combination of treatment options.
For those diagnosed with blood cancer, Shaughnessy said the Transplant and Cellular Therapy program at Methodist Hospital offers the latest clinical advancements in blood cancer therapy to Bexar County.
“We treat people with very high-risk cancers. Blood cancers such as acute leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma or multiple myeloma are common cancers we see,” Shaughnessy said.
Doctors will treat these cancers and provide high-dose chemotherapy and bone marrow transplant. They also may provide new immune therapies to help try to cure these cancers.
Shaughnessy said no one should ever feel alone in their cancer journey. For more information on cancer care at Methodist Healthcare, visit their website at SAHealth.com/survivors.