HJBR May/Jun 2020

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE I  MAY / JUN 2020 43 Although targeted therapy is often used alone, it is sometimes used in conjunction with other cancer treatments. MULTIDISCIPLINARY CARE TEAMS Experts across the nation agree that multidisciplinary care is now the gold standard for treating cancer patients. Multidisciplinary care teams include spe- cialists from each diagnostic, treatment, and supportive care discipline, including surgery, hematology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, pathology, radiology, patient navigation, clinical research, nurs- ing, supportive care, and genetics. This team of experts ensures that an in- dividualized care plan is devised for every patient, significantly improving the likeli- hood that patients and their families get their cancer diagnosis and treatment right the first time. CLINICAL TRIALS Research is key to the advancement of cancer care. Clinical trials can lead to the discovery of new treatments, enhanced ways to prevent side effects, and ultimately, longer survival for patients with cancer. n Dr. Vince Cataldo is a medical oncologist and hematologist at Mary Bird Perkins – Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center. He received a medical degree and completed residency training at Loui- siana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans, followed by fellowship training at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Dr. Cataldo has been in practice for more than 10 years, and currently serves on the Skin & Soft Tissue Mul- tidisciplinary Care Team (MDC) at the Cancer Center. DEVELOPMENTS in the field of oncology are occurring rapidly. The following are some evolving advances that offer great promise for patients living with cancer: CARDIO-ONCOLOGY Given the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and the potential cardiac toxicity of many cancer treatments, cardio-oncol- ogy is becoming an important emerging field in cancer care. Cardiac-related side effects of cancer therapy may lead to an interruption in cancer treatment, and affect a patient’s long-term quality of life and overall sur- vival. Cardio-oncology helps assess any heart issues a patient may have prior to cancer therapy, as well as any side effects that can occur during and following che- motherapy and radiation. Through screen- ing andmonitoring, patients’cardiac needs are addressed, allowing a clinical team, in coordination with the patient’s oncologist, to prevent and proactively manage any heart conditions that may arise. IMMUNOTHERAPY Another rapidly emerging method of treating cancer is immunotherapy, a form of treatment that harnesses an individual’s own immune system to recognize, control, and potentially cure cancers. It is a dif- ferent approach from conventional treat- ments such as chemotherapy or radiation. The latter attack the disease directly, while immunotherapy aims to empower the body’s own immune system to recognize cancer and eliminate it. Immunotherapy comes in many forms, including treatment vaccines and drugs that are received intravenously. The side effects of immunotherapy drugs are often far more manageable than those of tradi- tional chemotherapy. VIROTHERAPY There is a new treatment for certain types of melanoma, and it works in an un- usual way. Using a genetically engineered herpes virus, medical oncologists inject the virus directly into tumors. The virus is modified to the point where it recognizes the melanoma cells as a host. This unique drug, known as talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC), not only can kill the tumor cells where it is injected, but it also triggers the patient’s immune system to recognize the virally infected melanoma cells leading to death of other melanoma cells throughout the body. The application of this drug is for patients who have mela- noma of the skin and lymph nodes that are too extensive to be removed surgically. TARGETED THERAPIES Targeted therapy drugs are considered a special type of chemotherapy that targets cancer cells’ inner makeup, while leaving most healthy cells unaffected. While tra- ditional chemotherapy drugs can be used for various types of cancer, targeted ther- apies have specific effect on cancer cells with a particular mutation. This type of therapy can directly kill cancer cells, pre- vent cancer cells from dividing, or even inhibit blood vessel formation by tumors. Vince Cataldo, MD Oncologist & Hematologist Mary Bird Perkins–Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center