Understanding that early and accurate diagnosing is crucial for the oncology patient, the center is equipped with state of the art imaging capabilities which are used in cancer screenings, diagnostic and follow-up evaluations of malignancies. The technical capabilities coupled with an expert team of physicians which includes oncologists, radiologists and pathologists ensures quality, accuracy and timely reporting.

Treatment Services include Gynecologic Oncology, Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Urological Oncology, Research Protocols and Blood Stem Cell Transplants.

Treatment programs will most likely include one or a combination of the three generally accepted types of cancer therapy: chemotherapy and/or hormone therapy, radiation therapy and surgery. New treatment approaches include blood stem cell transplants, antibody-based, targeted therapies, gene therapy in some diseases and a complete menu of investigational therapies representing the recent advances and thought leaders in clinical research.

Our team of experts within the Comprehensive Cancer Center and Radiation Oncology Department include medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgical oncologists, urological oncologists, and an oncologist who specializes in gynecologic malignancies.

They are supported by a team of Psychosocial experts which includes a psychiatrist who is an expert in pain management, a psychologist who addresses the emotional and social issues and stigmas that patients with cancer encounter. Social workers and a nutritionist further compliment the psychosocial program.

Three female radiologists along with nurses trained in Mammotome and skilled technicians manage the Breast Center. Oncology trained nurses, pharmacists, nursing assistants, genetic counselors and other support staff work as a team to meet the diverse and often complex needs of the oncology patient.

Specialized Radiation Therapy including a 2100C/D (21 million volt) and a 2300C/D (23 million volt) linear accelerator, full digital simulation, High Dose Remote Afterloader (HDR), three dimensional treatment planning, and an extensive brachytherapy (implant) program including HDR, are available for patients in need of radiation therapy, high and low dose rate radiation implants, intra-operative radiotherapy.

The linear accelerators, high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy system, simulator, and 3-dimensional treatment planning system allow for the precision needed to plan and deliver individually tailored treatment fields required for the many types of cancer patients. Additionally, the department performs hundreds of interstitial seed implants (brachytherapy) each year to treat malignancies such as prostate cancer. The Radiation Oncology team includes radiation oncologists, physicists and dosimetrists as well as specialized nurses and radiation therapists.

Screenings held annually include Breast, Skin, Prostate and Colon to help identify cancer at the earliest possible stage.

In conjunction with Mount Sinai Medical Center, the Cancer Center performs screenings for Skin, Prostate, Colon and Breast Cancer. Genetic testing and counseling for BRCA I and II are performed at the center for women at high risk of familial breast cancer and the Cancer Center has participated in both Breast Cancer Prevention Trials sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

Our goal is to provide individualized quality care by physician specialists who strive to integrate the newest scientific advances into everyday practice in a setting of caring and compassion honoring the goals and beliefs of the patient and family.

All patients deserve access to high quality care in a supportive environment delivered by competent professionals taking into consideration the patients' and families' perspective and the need to treat the whole individual.

Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Center hosts Schwartz Center Rounds, unique, multi disciplinary physician/case management sessions in which hospital staff explore the emotional side of caregiving. A national program with sites across the country, Schwartz Center Rounds are funded by the Kenneth B. Schwartz Center, a Boston-based non-profit dedicated to advancing compassionate healthcare.

In a typical Rounds session, a panel of caregivers presents a patient case that brought up interesting and important psychosocial issues. Topics have included: delivering bad news; when religious or spiritual beliefs conflict with medical advice; taking care of a colleague; and losing a patient. Hospital staff then shares their own thoughts and feelings related to the day's topic. Unlike grand rounds, these sessions are not about clinical problem solving, but rather about exploring and processing the emotions that come up in the daily work of hospital staff. A comprehensive study of Schwartz Center Rounds has shown them to help caregivers connect better with patients emotionally; enhance their understanding of the effects of illness on patients and their families; improve communication among caregivers and decrease feelings of caregiver isolation and stress. For more information about Schwartz Center Rounds, visit www.theschwartzcenter.org, or call our Oncology Supportive Care Services Department.

The Center offers patients access to the latest research protocols. National clinical trials are available for particular illnesses. These are provided in conjunction with the National Cancer Institute, major university centers, the pharmaceutical industry, or other recognized research groups - and include therapies with new drugs, new drug delivery techniques, biologic response modifiers, immunotherapy and a number of other therapeutic options.

Whatever treatment protocol is ultimately incorporated into the patient's individual treatment plan, physicians from various disciplines and skilled technical staff members are involved in the initial evaluation and determination of the alternatives available. Every effort is made to involve the patient's primary care physician and family in the course of therapy.