Cancer

About 1,700 people in Cuyahoga County are diagnosed with cancer every year, but the number of people whose lives are affected by the disease is far greater.

The MetroHealth Cancer Center is setting a new standard of care for cancer treatment in Cleveland.

Our team of Northeast Ohio oncologists, oncology nurses and other medical professionals use their clinical expertise and our highly specialized technology to help you or your loved one overcome your disease. We work hard to ensure that your cancer is caught early so that you have the best chance of recovery. We also continue to care for you after your cancer treatment is done, with continued support and cancer screenings.  

MetroHealth Cancer Center Accreditations

The MetroHealth Cancer Center recently achieved two prestigious accreditations that reflect the team’s high level of expertise and care for the community.

The Commission on Cancer, a quality program through American College of Surgeons, recently accredited MetroHealth’s cancer program for an additional three years. In addition, The National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, another program through ACS, accredited MetroHealth Medical Center.

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Understanding Cancer

We believe that wellness begins with education. The more you understand about your condition, the more prepared you are to fight it. Before we tell you more about how we can help you deal with cancer, let us tell you about cancer itself:

• Your body builds new cells every day to carry out different jobs. Normally, cells grow and multiply in an orderly way. And when they die or get damaged, they're replaced by fresh new ones.

• When a cell's genetic material gets damaged during that replacement process, abnormal cells can form and multiply. That bundle of abnormal cells, growing uncontrollably, is cancer. And a cancerous tumor can make it harder for tissues to work the way they're supposed to.

• Cancer can form in almost any part of the body—including in the lungs, colon, breast, skin, bones or even in the blood. Sometimes, it can metastasize—or spread—to other parts of the body.

• Every type of cancer is different. Some grow and spread quickly, while others grow more slowly. Different types of cancers respond to different treatments—like surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or a combination of these.

• There are many things that increase your risk for cancer. These include obesity, drinking too much alcohol, exposure to certain chemicals or environmental toxins, exposure to radiation, exposure to too much sunlight, or genetic problems. The cause of many cancers still remains unknown.

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Catching Cancer Early

When it comes to many cancers, regular screenings can help save lives. Cancers detected early are less likely to have grown or spread to other parts of the body. Often, cancers caught early are easier to treat.

At MetroHealth, we offer routine screenings for a number of different types of cancer. You can schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor for some types of cancer screenings, or you might get cancer screenings through routine appointments with a specialist, such as an OB-GYN.

We know that many people in the community we serve do not have access to routine cancer screenings. We're dedicated to helping people in Cuyahoga County be proactive about cancer.

We offer community screenings for many types of cancers, including:

• Breast cancer
• Cervical cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Lung cancer

State-of-the-Art Oncology Treatment

Our team of medical and surgical oncologists and certified oncology nurses are committed to helping you overcome your disease. We received a Certificate of Achievement Award and are accredited with recommendations ("straight A's") from the Commission on Cancer. We work with you throughout your entire cancer journey so that you always feel cared for. Whether you're receiving treatment while staying in the hospital or coming in as an outpatient, you'll always be treated by doctors and nurses from the cancer center.

At MetroHealth, you'll have access to some of the most innovative treatment options in Northeast Ohio, including localized radiation therapy, chemotherapy and minimally invasive surgery. If appropriate, we'll enroll you in groundbreaking clinical trials to ensure that you receive the most effective treatment for your individual cancer. Most of our patients start their treatment within 3 to 5 days of diagnosis. In some cases, they're seen within 24 hours.

Personalized Cancer Care

After a cancer diagnosis, we take the time to sit down with you and your family to talk about next steps. Our patient navigators will connect you to the medical resources you need and help guide you through the treatment phase.

Once treatment is over, we help get you back to being you, as soon and as safely as possible.

After surviving cancer, we help you with:

• Physical rehabilitation. Some cancer treatments can cause complications or dysfunction. We'll make sure you get the physical therapy you need to get you back to as normal as possible—as quickly as possible.
• Social services. Our social workers offer financial counseling to help you manage your medical expenses.
• Ongoing health care. We'll keep working with your primary care provider even after you're disease-free to help you stay as healthy as possible.
• Active cancer surveillance program. We work to detect a cancer recurrence as soon as possible, should it occur.

Cancers We Treat

Our experienced team provides advanced treatment for all types of cancers. Some of the more common cancers we treat include:

Questions? Call 216-77-TREAT (216-778-7328).