Colorado Blood Cancer Institute and Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers Partner to Provide Cancer Patients Expert Care in Colorado Springs and Pueblo
Denver, CO, April 08, 2022 --(PR.com)-- Thanks to a longstanding partnership between the Colorado Blood Cancer Institute (CBCI) and Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers (RMCC), cancer patients in Colorado Springs and Pueblo now have access to expert care without traveling to Denver. Once a month, Dr. Tara Gregory, a hematologist/oncologist specializing in bone and marrow transplant at CBCI, part of the Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center in Denver, travels to Colorado Springs to meet with patients.
“As with all our outreach sites, our goal is to engage the community and consult with patients and their physicians to discuss transplant and cellular therapies in the management of their disease,” said Dr. Gregory, who is board certified in internal medicine and oncology. “Ideally, we can offer longer-term follow-up after those treatments so that patients can access life-saving therapies despite not living in a city that has those treatments immediately available.”
As the largest blood and marrow transplant program in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain Region and the 15th largest program in the nation, CBCI is also affiliated with the Sarah Cannon Transplant and Cellular Therapy Network, the largest network providing these therapies in the United States. The program also has access to clinical trials through Sarah Cannon Research Institute.
When visiting with patients in Colorado Springs, Dr. Gregory is joined by Patient Navigator Barb Layton, RN, an experienced nurse who excels at listening to patients with complex hematology issues and helping them navigate their care. They see patients in Colorado Springs on the third Wednesday of the month.
Likewise, CBCI oncologist Dr. Alireza Eghtedar and nurse navigator Nicole Martinez travel to Pueblo to meet with patients on the fourth Thursday of the month. Dr. Eghtedar, who is board certified in oncology and hematology, is especially interested in novel treatments for myeloid malignancies and alternative donor transplants for patients without a fully matched donor. As the son of a cancer patient, Dr. Eghtedar has a profound sense of compassion and empathy toward his patients.
The partnership between CBCI and RMCC allows patients to receive specialized care close to home where resources including family/friend support and housing are available. It also reduces excessive travel, which can be challenging for cancer patients to navigate.
In the spirit of teamwork and collaboration, Dr. Gregory and Dr. Eghtedar work side-by-side with RMCC doctors, including Dr. M. Andrew Monticelli, a medical oncologist/hematologist who believes a collaborative approach to patient care is vital.
“Cancer care has evolved tremendously over the past few years and the rate of new treatments has accelerated,” Dr. Monticelli said. “Each type of cancer is becoming a separate specialty. It has been very rewarding and reassuring to have Colorado Blood Cancer Institute on our side in the fight against cancer. They specialize in treating hematologic malignancies and are both accessible and informative. Many of the newer regimens can be managed here in (Colorado) Springs, which truly brings world-class care close to home.”
As always, the doctors at both CBCI and RMCC encourage people to see their primary care doctors annually and sooner if there is a change in their health.
“Treatment of cancer, especially blood cancers, is really evolving and growing with better outcomes and quality of life,” Dr. Gregory said. “Many of our new treatments are focused on recruiting our own immune system to fight cancer cells but with modification of immune cells and drugs that help direct the immune system against tumor cells.”
CBCI and RMCC will continue to work together to provide the best care available for blood cancer patients.
About Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers
For 30 years, Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers (RMCC) has been a leader in delivering world-class cancer care to patients across the Colorado Front Range. Our dedicated team of cancer treatment specialists are relentlessly dedicated to our patients’ health. We fight alongside each patient, providing personalized treatment plans and partnering with their referring physicians. We listen and learn and treat every patient with the utmost sensitivity and kindness to deliver the absolute best care possible. This strategic and compassionate approach to cancer care promotes optimal patient outcomes and survivorship through evidence-based measures. For more information, please visit www.rockymountaincancercenters.com.
About Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center
For more than 140 years, Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center (P/SL) has been meeting the healthcare needs of patients and their families from across the Rocky Mountain, Great Plains region and around the world. With more than 80 specialties, 1,200 specialists and primary care physicians and 1,900 employees, P/SL and Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children is the only tertiary/quaternary combined pediatric and adult hospital in this region. Leading comprehensive services include the Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery, Cardiovascular Services, Cancer Care, Blood & Marrow Transplant, Labor & Delivery/Mom & Baby, Maternal-Fetal Care, Orthopedics, Spine, Kidney/Liver Transplant, Hyperbaric Medicine, Wound Healing, Infectious Disease and more. HCA Healthcare’s Continental Division, which includes HealthONE and P/SL, was named the #1 large hospital system in the United States by IBM Watson Health as part of the 15 Top Health Systems recognition process. For more information, please visit www.pslmc.com.
About the Colorado Blood Cancer Institute
The Colorado Blood Cancer Institute (CBCI) is a part of the Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center. Our specially trained hematologists are committed to advancing science and care for patients with blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. We have performed over 5000 transplants and will celebrate our 30th year of the program this September. Colorado Blood Cancer Institute is the largest and most experienced full-service blood and marrow transplant program in Colorado and among the top programs in the country. CBCI is accredited by the Foundation for Accreditation of Cellular Therapies (FACT), the global standard for top quality patient care in cellular therapies. We work closely with our community physician colleagues in numerous outreaches areas in Colorado and outside including, New Mexico, Montana, and Wyoming to provide patients with nationally recognized care and access to the most innovative clinical trials. For more information, visit www.bloodcancerinstitute.com.
“As with all our outreach sites, our goal is to engage the community and consult with patients and their physicians to discuss transplant and cellular therapies in the management of their disease,” said Dr. Gregory, who is board certified in internal medicine and oncology. “Ideally, we can offer longer-term follow-up after those treatments so that patients can access life-saving therapies despite not living in a city that has those treatments immediately available.”
As the largest blood and marrow transplant program in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain Region and the 15th largest program in the nation, CBCI is also affiliated with the Sarah Cannon Transplant and Cellular Therapy Network, the largest network providing these therapies in the United States. The program also has access to clinical trials through Sarah Cannon Research Institute.
When visiting with patients in Colorado Springs, Dr. Gregory is joined by Patient Navigator Barb Layton, RN, an experienced nurse who excels at listening to patients with complex hematology issues and helping them navigate their care. They see patients in Colorado Springs on the third Wednesday of the month.
Likewise, CBCI oncologist Dr. Alireza Eghtedar and nurse navigator Nicole Martinez travel to Pueblo to meet with patients on the fourth Thursday of the month. Dr. Eghtedar, who is board certified in oncology and hematology, is especially interested in novel treatments for myeloid malignancies and alternative donor transplants for patients without a fully matched donor. As the son of a cancer patient, Dr. Eghtedar has a profound sense of compassion and empathy toward his patients.
The partnership between CBCI and RMCC allows patients to receive specialized care close to home where resources including family/friend support and housing are available. It also reduces excessive travel, which can be challenging for cancer patients to navigate.
In the spirit of teamwork and collaboration, Dr. Gregory and Dr. Eghtedar work side-by-side with RMCC doctors, including Dr. M. Andrew Monticelli, a medical oncologist/hematologist who believes a collaborative approach to patient care is vital.
“Cancer care has evolved tremendously over the past few years and the rate of new treatments has accelerated,” Dr. Monticelli said. “Each type of cancer is becoming a separate specialty. It has been very rewarding and reassuring to have Colorado Blood Cancer Institute on our side in the fight against cancer. They specialize in treating hematologic malignancies and are both accessible and informative. Many of the newer regimens can be managed here in (Colorado) Springs, which truly brings world-class care close to home.”
As always, the doctors at both CBCI and RMCC encourage people to see their primary care doctors annually and sooner if there is a change in their health.
“Treatment of cancer, especially blood cancers, is really evolving and growing with better outcomes and quality of life,” Dr. Gregory said. “Many of our new treatments are focused on recruiting our own immune system to fight cancer cells but with modification of immune cells and drugs that help direct the immune system against tumor cells.”
CBCI and RMCC will continue to work together to provide the best care available for blood cancer patients.
About Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers
For 30 years, Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers (RMCC) has been a leader in delivering world-class cancer care to patients across the Colorado Front Range. Our dedicated team of cancer treatment specialists are relentlessly dedicated to our patients’ health. We fight alongside each patient, providing personalized treatment plans and partnering with their referring physicians. We listen and learn and treat every patient with the utmost sensitivity and kindness to deliver the absolute best care possible. This strategic and compassionate approach to cancer care promotes optimal patient outcomes and survivorship through evidence-based measures. For more information, please visit www.rockymountaincancercenters.com.
About Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center
For more than 140 years, Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center (P/SL) has been meeting the healthcare needs of patients and their families from across the Rocky Mountain, Great Plains region and around the world. With more than 80 specialties, 1,200 specialists and primary care physicians and 1,900 employees, P/SL and Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children is the only tertiary/quaternary combined pediatric and adult hospital in this region. Leading comprehensive services include the Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery, Cardiovascular Services, Cancer Care, Blood & Marrow Transplant, Labor & Delivery/Mom & Baby, Maternal-Fetal Care, Orthopedics, Spine, Kidney/Liver Transplant, Hyperbaric Medicine, Wound Healing, Infectious Disease and more. HCA Healthcare’s Continental Division, which includes HealthONE and P/SL, was named the #1 large hospital system in the United States by IBM Watson Health as part of the 15 Top Health Systems recognition process. For more information, please visit www.pslmc.com.
About the Colorado Blood Cancer Institute
The Colorado Blood Cancer Institute (CBCI) is a part of the Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center. Our specially trained hematologists are committed to advancing science and care for patients with blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. We have performed over 5000 transplants and will celebrate our 30th year of the program this September. Colorado Blood Cancer Institute is the largest and most experienced full-service blood and marrow transplant program in Colorado and among the top programs in the country. CBCI is accredited by the Foundation for Accreditation of Cellular Therapies (FACT), the global standard for top quality patient care in cellular therapies. We work closely with our community physician colleagues in numerous outreaches areas in Colorado and outside including, New Mexico, Montana, and Wyoming to provide patients with nationally recognized care and access to the most innovative clinical trials. For more information, visit www.bloodcancerinstitute.com.
Contact
Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center
Tana Sykes
512-983-0218
pslmc.com
Tana Sykes
512-983-0218
pslmc.com
Contact
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