Cancer Care in Portland

Just the word “cancer” comes loaded with a lot of worry and fear. That’s a natural response we all have if we even think about this disease.

Whether you’re working to rule out cancer or you’ve gotten a diagnosis you hoped to avoid, we are here to listen, reassure and guide you through your next steps to better health. We’re in the business of helping people avoid and survive cancer!

We believe you deserve cancer care as unique as you are, delivered close to home right here in Portland. We care about you as a whole person — body, mind and spirit. Compassion is combined with medical excellence through every step of your cancer treatment.

Putting compassion into cancer care

Your health journey is led by an entire team of caring, dedicated cancer care specialists. Depending on your unique needs, your team will include your primary care provider plus specialists like:

• Oncologists and radiation oncologists
• Surgeons
• Hospitalists
• Pathologists
• Radiologists and interventional radiologists

Our cancer care nurse navigator helps to coordinate your care with other team members as well, including specially certified cancer nurses, social workers, oncology dieticians and rehabilitation specialists.

We also work with specialty oncologists at OHSU’s Knight Cancer Institute to bring you the broadest range of evidence-based cancer care. Through our partnerships, we are able to provide personalized care for all major cancers right here on our southeast Portland campus.

Quality you can have faith in

Adventist Health’s cancer care program has been an accredited Community Cancer Program for more than 30 years.

This “stamp of approval” comes from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer after careful on-site review of our many cancer services. The commission’s goal is to make sure what we’re doing for our patients meets — or even exceeds — national standards.

We take pride in knowing this approval demonstrates our focus on excellent, coordinated and patient-centered care.

You can learn more about today’s best recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of most cancer types at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

What cancer really is

Cancer isn’t just one disease — in fact, there are many types of cancer. Some of the most common include the breast, prostate, lung, colon and skin. Cancer can also form in the blood and lymph nodes.

Wherever it starts, cancer is a disease in which normal cells begin to grow out of control, making abnormal cells that don’t die off. Instead, they make still more abnormal cells, which may or may not form a mass or lump. In addition to causing problems where the cancer originally forms, these abnormal cells can spread, or “metastasize,” to other parts of the body.

How we treat cancer is as tailored to the type and location of the disease as it is to your specific health situation. Today there are more treatment options than ever before — for cancer that stays in place and for cancer that spreads.

As worrisome as a lump may be, remember not all lumps are cancer. What matters most is to check in with your health care provider anytime you notice a change or have a concern. The earlier the better for having a lump checked.

Whole-person care every step of the way

Come to us and you'll walk into a healing community. Here you can be sure you’ll receive specialized care that goes beyond the physical. We care about you — all of you — including your mind and spirit.

Cancer isn’t just about your body. It’s about your life. That’s why our team is here to help you every step of the way.

Do you have cancer-related questions? Please feel free to take the first steps of your journey with the guidance of our cancer care nurse navigator. Just call (503) 261-6676.