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Edward Hospital Multidisciplinary Thoracic Oncology Clinic

Contact Information

Naperville Campus 120 Spalding Drive, Suite 111 Naperville, IL 60540
(630) 527-3788

The Edward Hospital Multi-Disciplinary Thoracic Oncology Clinic is located in Naperville, IL. If you or a loved one is afflicted by cancer, this clinic offers multiple treatment options. The Edward Cancer Center is the first of its kind in the area. The facility is accredited by the American College of Surgeons, American College of Radiology, and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. In 2010, the hospital earned its second designation as a Magnet Hospital for Nursing Excellence. Its first designation was received in 2005.

The Edward Cancer Center addresses each of the patient’s needs ranging from overnight stays for loved ones to the latest technology for diagnostic tests and treatment. The hospital is designed to make patients feel comfortable. Each patient receives his or her own private room. The hospital can accommodate 309 patients at a given time. Gardens are scattered throughout the property for meditation and healing. Efforts are made daily to make the patient’s visit stress-free and relaxing.

The facility boasts 988 physicians and 1340 nurses. Of the 988 physicians, 98 percent are board certified. Over the next five years, investors hope to improve the Edward Cancer Center by giving it a $100 million renovation. The renovation will include 16 new operating rooms with state-of-the-art minimally invasive surgical tools and diagnostic equipment, such as CT scanners and ultrasounds. Upgraded touch screen computer workstations will also be included in the renovations.

The Edward Cancer Center offers patients several options to combat cancer:

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IGRT)
Image-guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT)
Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Respiratory Gating
High Dose Rate Brachytherapy

Edward Cancer Center partnered with the National Cancer Institute to provide patients access to clinical trials. Mesothelioma patients who are afflicted with cancer through asbestos inhalation may find specialized treatment options for this particular disease. Experimental therapies include:

Gene Therapy

Gene therapy is a leading edge drug therapy that has shown significant promise in animal studies. During cell development, genes are either replaced or destroyed to cease tumor cell growth. Drugs, such as, onconase, thalidomide, and lovastatin have been used in combination therapy treatments with chemotherapy.

Drug Therapy

New drugs have been introduced to alleviate some of the effects of the disease, as well as, cease cancer cell growth. Alimta is one such drug that significantly improves the life expectancy of an individual. This clinical trial is one of the largest in history aimed at eliminating rare cancer developments.

Immunotherapy

This type of therapy involves injecting cytokines into malignant cancerous tumors. The cytokines will evoke the body’s natural immune response to eliminate cancer cells with minimal toxic side effects.

Photodynamic Therapy

Photodynamic Therapy is a non-invasive technique that involves injecting a light-activated drug intravenously. The drug remains in the blood stream and moves into the surrounding tissue over a period of time. A light, called LumaCare, illuminates the areas that absorb the light-activated drug. The light will only destroy cancer cells that absorb the drug.

Multimodality Therapy

Several studies are being conducted to test the effects of multimodality treatments on rare cancer diseases. Multimodality treatments involve use of two or more of the following treatments:

Chemotherapy
Radiation
Surgery
Gene Therapy

Researchers’ opinions vary for the use of multimodal treatments. However, multi-modal treatments have shown significant promise in some patients. The results are not conclusive and studies are continuously conducted to indicate what effect, if any, these types of treatments produce. Patients seeking a clinical trial may inquire with their oncologist for participation in one of the many available programs.