E l i ana Cen te rFor the Treatment and Healing of Thoracic Cancer

Continuum Health Pa rtners isproud to have established the ElianaCenter, where patients with tho-racic cancer receive advanced med-ical care and support i ve serv i c e sgeared especially to their needs.

Focus on Thoracic CancersThoracic cancer patients can benefitgreatly from a center that focuses ontheir specific medical, emotionaland social circumstances. Cancersof the pulmonary system and adja-cent organs often advance rapidlyand the disease is discovered at a rel-atively late stage. To be successful,therapy must be timely, comprehen-sive and aggressive. At the ElianaCenter, we offer the most advancedmedical and surgical care; the abilityto participate in a broad spectrumof current clinical trials; and anarray of supportive services address-ing psychological and spiritualneeds of patients. Ours is truly ac o m p re h e n s i ve and multidiscipli-

nary approach to the treatment ofthoracic malignancies.

Program ActivitiesThe Eliana Center encompasses acomprehensive program of tertiaryclinical care, medical education andresearch, and public awareness. Weare committed to making treatmentas positive an experience as possible.To this end, each patient is assigneda Patient Navigator who ensuresseamless continuity across the vari-ous disciplines involved in a person-alized treatment plan. This includessetting up and coordinating allappointments and tests, arrangingtransportation if needed, and ensur-ing the timely and efficient coordi-nation of treatment modalities.

Most patients benefit from treat-ment protocols involving multiplemodalities—surgery, medicine andradiation—with pain managementand supportive services integrated

into the treatment plan. Supportiveservices include nutrition and well-ness education, stress re d u c t i o ninstruction, family counseling andfinancial counseling.

ResearchTo advance effective treatments, theEliana Center participates in a vari-ety of clinical trials thro u g hnational cooperative gro u p s .Recent or current trials involve pre-ventative therapy, “frontline” ther-a p y, brachytherapy and ro b o t i csurgery.

To promote inve s t i g a t o r - i n i t i a t e dresearch, the Eliana Center awardsup to three grants annually to Con-tinuum Cancer Center clinicians tosupport initial data gathering. Sup-ported projects are expected subse-quently to attract substantial federalor other external funding. The cen-ter will also participate in ongoingContinuum Cancer Center andmulti-institutional re s e a rch pro-grams.

Medical EducationThe center’s program encompasseseducation to disseminate curre n tknowledge and research to commu-nity physicians. Education projectsinclude an annual conference toeducate regional physicians in themanagement of thoracic malignan-cies and associated thoracic disor-ders through new techniques,

E l i a n a C e n t e rFor the Treatment and Healing of Thoracic Cancer

therapies and procedures in surgi-cal, medical and radiation oncology.The center also provides grants toenable its clinicians to learn newtechniques and treatments.

Continuum is deeply grateful to Mr.Joseph and Dr. Carol F. Reich whoprovided generous initial funding forthe establishment of the Eliana Cen-ter.

PATIENT NAVIGATIONAT THE ELIANA CENTERFrom the first sign of an abnormal-ity, patients can experience an enor-mous amount of pre - t re a t m e n ttesting. This level of testing contin-ues through the confirmation of adiagnosis and preparation for multi-modal treatment, which is distrib-uted across various disciplines oramong a range of providers. Sometesting procedures are complex andunpleasant for the patient. Amongthe most common tests are MRIs,C AT scans, and stress tests innuclear medicine. In addition,b ronchoscopies, esophagoscopies,and mediastinoscopies must oftenbe completed before main treat-ment begins.

Coordination of care, and attentivecare, are critical to creating positivepatient experiences. Carefully coor-dinated care is also essential toensuring timely pro c e d u re sthroughout the treatment process,and, ultimately, to promote betteroutcomes.

To ensure that this fundamentalaspect of optimal treatment is pro-vided, the Eliana Center has hired a

dedicated patient navigator. T h ekey functions of the patient naviga-tor are:• Serve as a single contact for eachpatient throughout his or her treat-ment process• Act as liaison for the patient withother professionals in the treatmentprocess• Provide the patient with informa-tion about resources in other areasof support such as pain manage-ment, stress reduction instruction,nutrition counseling, family coun-seling, and financial counseling

The Eliana Center is very pleased tohave as our Patient Navigator Ms.Patricia Stacey, a longtime memberof the Continuum Cancer Centersstaff. Ms. Stacey was administratorfor the Radiation/Oncology andHe m a t o l o g y / Oncology De p a rt-ments at Beth Israel Medical Centerand then Roosevelt Hospital for atotal of 15 years. She is a formerradiation oncology therapist who isthoroughly familiar with the Con-tinuum Cancer Centers and the

needs of thoracic oncology patients.Ms. Stacey lost her own father tolung cancer.

In her role as Patient Navigator, shesees herself as not only expeditingprocedures, but as humanizing theprocess — providing emotional andp s ychological support for thepatients and easing pressures on themedical staff. An important part ofher interaction with patients is sim-ply listening.

Ms. Stacey consults closely withStewart B. Fleishman, MD, directorof Continuum’s Cancer SupportiveServices (CSS). Dr. Fleishman is ap s ychiatrist with a specialty inoncology. The CSS staff includes apain management specialist, socialworkers, an oncology nutritionist,and a chaplain. As Patient Naviga-t o r, Ms. Stacey will encourageEliana Center patients to use CSSservices, thus helping them develope f f e c t i ve coping strategies andenabling them to be active partnersin their own care.

Michael Grossbard, MD with Joseph and Carol ReichPatient Navigator Patricia Stacey (left) discusses treatment options with a patient.

www.wehealny.org/services/CHP_ElianaCenter

E l i a n a C e n t e rFor the Treatment and Healing of Thoracic Cancer

St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center1000 Tenth Avenue at 59th StreetNew York, NY 10019

Nonprofit OrgU.S. Postage

PaidWest Caldwell, N

Permit #12

E l i a n a C e n t e rFor the Treatment and Healing of Thoracic Cancer

RESEARCH PROJECTSThe Thoracic Oncology group par-ticipates in clinical trials coordi-nated by major cooperative groups(SWOG, ECOG,RTOG,ACOSOG). In addition, we areactive in a number of local proto-cols and other areas of researchinterest:

Cooperative GroupsSWOG/ECOG 5597: Use of sele-nium as a treatment to prevent newprimary lung cancers

SWOG 0454: Gender differencesin Lung Cancer; a molecular biol-ogy study

RTOG 0214 Prophylactic CranialIrradiation in patients with locallyadvanced NSCLCA

Other Trials and InterestsImclone CP-02-52: Investigationalagent after failure of primary plat-inum-based therapy

IRISSA: Use of this agent after fail-ure of primary therapy or first linein female patient with adenocarci-noma or Asian/Pacific background

BETA: Bevacuzimab and Tarcevavs Ta rc e va alone as second-linetreatment

Use of endoesophageal ultrasoundmediastinal biopsy in non-small celllung cancer

Robotic-assisted thoracic surgery

Minimally inva s i ve limited lungresection and implantation ofr a d i o a c t i ve iodine with ro b o t i cassistance in high-risk patients withlung cancer

FDG/PET scanning and minimallyi n va s i ve staging/restaging withFLT/PET

Intercostal analgesia for pain con-trol in patients undergoing thoracicsurgery

Videoassisted thoracic surgery forresection of paravertebral tumors

Effect of preoperative anemia onsurvival in patients with early stagelung cancer

Videoassisted thoracic surgery inpatients with indeterminate pul-monary nodule

ELIANA CENTER COREPROFESSIONAL STAFF

Cliff P. Connery, MD, FACS, isCodirector of the Eliana Centerand Chief of the Division of Tho-racic Surgery at Beth Israel MedicalCenter and St. Luke's and Roosevelt Hospitals.

Michael L. Grossbard, MD, isCodirector of the Eliana Centerand Chief of the Division ofHematology-Oncology at BethIsrael Medical Center and St.Luke's and Roosevelt Hospitals.Dr. Grossbard is also an AssociateDirector of Continuum CancerCenters of New York.

Professional Advisory BoardThoracic SurgeryFaiz Bhora, MDCliff P. Connery, MDLoren Harris, MDAngelo Reyes, MD

Radiation OncologyAndrew Evans, MDPeter Han, MD

Medical OncologyMichael L. Grossbard, MDRonald Blum, MDSeth Cohen, MDPeter Kozuch, MDStephen Malamud, MD

Nuclear ImagingMunir Ghesani, MD

RadiologyAdie Friedman, MDValerie Maccarrone, MDAlan Legasto, MD

Research ProgramRonald Blum, MD

Gastroenterology/EndoscopicUltrasoundDavid Robbins, MD

Pulmonary MedicineDonald Fishman, MDPatricia Villamena, MDSamuel Acquah, MD

Supportive ServicesStewart Fleishman, MD

Social ServiceLori Schwartz

Smoking CessationMary O'Sullivan, MD

Pain ManagementRonald Hertz, MD

Integrative MedicineWoodrow Merrell, MD

Pulmonary RehabilitationEdward Eden, MD

Nurse PractitionersChristine Tuttle, NPRence Cortez, NPYvonne Cruz, MPSara Bhagat, NP

NutritionistBridget Bennett

E l i a n a C e n t e rFor the Treatment and Healing of Thoracic Cancer

CANCER CENTERS RECEIVE THREE-YEAR ACCREDITATION WITH COMMENDATIONThe American College of Surgeons, Commission on Cancer (CoC), has granted the Continuum CancerCenters of New York (the multidisciplinary cancer programs of Beth Israel, St. Luke’s and Roosevelt Hospitals) a full, three-year network accreditation with commendation.

The CoC grants approval of a network cancer program only to those hospital systems that have voluntarilycommitted to provide the best in cancer diagnosis, treatment and research, and are able to comply with established CoC standards across all the hospitals in the network. Each cancer network must undergo a rigorous evaluation and review of its performance and compliance with CoC standards.

Continuum is the first hospital system in New York State to earn network accreditation. There are less than25 in the country.

HOT LINE FOR REFERRING PHYSICIANSIf you are a physician with a patient who has a new l ydiagnosed lung nodule or a condition needing moreurgent evaluation, you can reach an appropriate consultant 24 hours a day at (212) 636-3333.

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www.wehealny.org/services/CHP_ElianaCenter