Medical Oncology Services

Thompson Oncology Group Physicians

Thompson Oncology Group (TOG) is a leader in medical oncology services and provides patients access to all proven, drug-based treatments and the latest clinical trial medicines. Our team of board-certified, fellowship-trained medical oncologists and certified advanced practice providers deliver on-site care and treatment, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and hormone therapy, at affiliated infusion centers throughout our region.

Learn more about your TOG Medical Oncologists

TOG’s Oncology Pharmacy Team

Thompson Oncology Group has an impressive Oncology Pharmacy team with extensive education and experience, These trained professionals maintain a presence at each site of infusion therapy services. Additionally, the Oncology Pharmacy team supports our physician-led cancer care teams, including the team of infusion nurses, in the administration of the personally prescribed treatment plan.

The Oncology Pharmacy team monitors patients’ health status and exact vital statistics on the day of treatment, modifying dosages and going through multiple safety checks to ensure patients get the prescribed treatment at the customized levels each time. In addition to being a resource for our providers and clinical teams, the Oncology Pharmacists can be a resource to patients, answering questions and lending advice about side effects or safety instructions.

What is Medical Oncology?

Medical Oncology focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer. Our oncologists and supportive pharmacy help patients through testing, explaining treatment options, and delivering quality care to manage the side effects of cancer and treatment.

Types of Oncology Services Offered by TOG

There are various oncology services that can help our patients in their cancer treatment journeys. Of the most common are several therapy options offered to our patients, including targeted therapy, immunotherapy, hormone therapy, and others.

Targeted Therapy

Targeted therapy cancer treatments use medicines and substances to precisely locate and destroy specific types of cancer cells while protecting the healthy tissue surrounding them. When working correctly, targeted therapies are able to block messages within the cancer cells that tell them to grow.

Sometimes called precision medicine, there are two kinds of targeted therapy: small molecule, typically given through pills or capsules that you swallow, or large molecule, typically given through an IV. Targeted therapy is used by itself or in addition to other treatment methods, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and/or surgery.

Immunotherapy

Simply put, immunotherapy is a type of treatment that helps your immune system (white blood cells, organs, and tissues of the lymph system) fight cancer. Considered a biological therapy, immunotherapy works by boosting and changing your body’s natural defenses to find and attack cancer cells. Immunotherapy can be used alone or with other common cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and/or radiation therapy. Immunotherapy can be given in a variety of formats, including:

• IV – directly into your vein
• Oral – pills or capsules that you swallow
• Topical – a cream you rub onto your skin

Hormone Therapy

Hormone therapy is a type of cancer treatment that slows or stops the growth of cancer that relies on your body’s hormones to grow. There are two main types of hormone therapy – those that block your body’s ability to produce hormones and those that impact how your hormones behave.

Hormone therapy is most common for breast and prostate cancer patients. It may be used in addition to or alongside other treatment methods such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, etc.

Chemotherapy

What is chemotherapy? Chemotherapy refers to the use of medicines to treat cancer. It has been used for many years and is one of the most common treatments for cancer. In most cases, chemotherapy interferes with the cancer cell’s ability to grow and reproduce. Different groups of medicines work in different ways to fight cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be used alone for some types of cancer or in combination with other treatments, such as radiation or surgery. Often, a variety of chemotherapy medicines is used to fight a specific type of cancer. Certain chemotherapy medicines may be given within a particular order depending on the type of cancer they are being used to treat.

While chemotherapy can be quite effective in treating certain cancers, chemotherapy medicines reach all parts of the body, not just the cancer cells. Because of this, there can be many side effects during treatment. Anticipating these side effects can help you and your caregivers prepare for and manage them.

How is chemotherapy given?

• As a pill to swallow
• As an injection (shot) into the muscle or fat tissue
• Intravenously (directly to the bloodstream; also called IV)
• Topically (applied to the skin)
• Directly into a body cavity

How often is chemotherapy given?

Chemotherapy is usually given in cycles to reduce the damage to healthy cells and give them a chance to recover. Depending on your situation, chemotherapy may be given daily, weekly, every few weeks, or monthly.

Where is chemotherapy given?

Chemotherapy is usually given in an outpatient setting, such as a hospital, clinic, or physician’s office. Patients receiving chemotherapy will be watched for reactions during treatments. Since each chemotherapy treatment session may last for a while, patients are encouraged to take along something comforting, such as music to listen to. It is also recommended to bring something to help pass the time, such as a deck of cards or a book. Since it is hard to predict how a patient will feel after chemotherapy, having someone drive the person to and from the appointment is important.

What are some chemotherapy medicines and their potential side effects?

The following list gives examples of a few more commonly used chemotherapy medicines. It lists some of the cancer types but not necessarily all of the cancers for which they are used. It also describes common side effects. Side effects may happen just after treatment (days or weeks) or later (months or even years) after the chemotherapy has been given. The side effects listed below do not make up an all-inclusive list, as other side effects not listed are possible.

How will I react to chemotherapy?

Each person’s medical profile and diagnosis is different, so is their reaction to treatment. Side effects may be severe, mild, or absent. Be sure to discuss with your cancer care team the possible side effects of treatment before the treatment begins. Ask for written information on each medicine you’re getting so you know what to watch for and report to your healthcare provider.

What medicines are used in chemotherapy?

A variety of medicines are used to help in cancer treatment. Often, these drugs can be used alone or in combination, depending on your needs.