Clinical Overview
The UF Health Cancer Center’s clinical enterprise uses a comprehensive care model, with multidisciplinary cancer programs offering advanced treatment options, such as minimally invasive and robotic surgery, proton and intensity modulated radiotherapy, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy in conjunction with the Precision Cancer Care Program, as well as access to clinical trials with limited availability elsewhere.
A TEAM APPROACH TO CANCER TREATMENT
(This image was taken prior to national guidelines of face coverings and physical distancing.)
- The UF Health Cancer Center is a state-designated Cancer Center of Excellence. The designation by the Florida Legislature recognizes hospitals and treatment centers that demonstrate excellence in patient-centered coordinated care for people undergoing cancer treatment and chemotherapy.
- UF Health is designated as a Center of Excellence for myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes and pancreatic cancers.
- The UF Health Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program is one of 20 core centers nationwide that comprise the NHLBI/NCI Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network.
- The UF Health Proton Therapy Institute is one of the few proton facilities in the country that have achieved accreditation by the American College of Radiology. It is internationally recognized as a cancer care destination for pediatric radiation oncology patients.
- The UF Health Breast Center is accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers and is the first in the state to offer intraoperative radiation therapy using Intrabeam®.
A Group Effort for Individualized Care
The multidisciplinary teams at the UF Health Cancer Center meet weekly to discuss the details of each patient’s case. This approach leads to a personalized plan created to guide each patient through diagnosis, treatment and recovery. This plan also includes guiding patients who need several different therapies to their ideal cancer treatment combination. The plan is customized for the specific type of cancer, its stage and a patient’s needs and overall health. When a patient begins their journey, a nurse navigator coordinates all aspects of the patient’s care, including ensuring the patient and family understand the care plan.
Multidisciplinary Clinical Program
- UF Health Breast Center
- Blood Cancers & Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program
- Orthopaedic Oncology Program
- Gastrointestinal Oncology Program
- Gynecologic Oncology Program
- Head and Neck Cancer Program
- Lung Cancer Program
- Metastatic Cancer Program
- Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy
- Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Program
- Skin Cancer and Melanoma Program
- Urologic Cancer Program
Cellular Therapies
UF Health has successfully performed stem cell transplantation to treat a broad variety of malignant and benign hematologic disorders, including:
- Acute and chronic leukemia
- Myelodysplastic syndromes
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and Hodgkin’s disease
- Myeloproliferative syndrome
- Severe aplastic anemia
Tumor Board: Patients and Patient Navigators
UF Health physicians from the Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy discuss complex cases at weekly tumor board meetings. (This image was taken prior to national guidelines of face coverings and physical distancing.)
Fighting cancer is a complex and difficult journey, which is why the UF Health Cancer Center marshals all our resources for each patient’s care. Each week, our cancer-specific tumor boards bring together doctors from different areas of expertise to discuss and determine the best possible treatment options and to develop a care plan.
During the meetings, each patient’s case is reviewed by a pathologist, radiologist, medical oncologist, surgical oncologist and radiation oncologist — all coordinated by a nurse navigator.
In some instances, a physical therapist, nutritionist and psychologist will also be involved.
Every patient’s medical history and needs are considered. Each week, a thorough discussion of progress, changes and options ensures that our cancer patients receive a comprehensive treatment plan specifically tailored to their needs using the greatest number of resources available.
UFHCC Patient and Family Advisory Council
BACK ROW: Travis Rockey, Amber Gay, Thomas Johns, Bo Ginn, Kate Walker; FRONT ROW: Merry-Jennifer Markham, M.D (Chair), Maureen “Moe” LaTour, Michele Scavone-Stone, Paula Barrett, Karen Miller (This image was taken prior to national guidelines of face coverings and physical distancing.)
To ensure patient- and family-centered care, the UF Health Cancer Center relies on the input of its Patient and Family Advisory Council, a volunteer group of individuals whose lives have all been touched by cancer. Collaborating with physicians and staff, the council helps improve the patient experience at UF Health by providing feedback in a number of key areas.
