Cancer Care
When you need cancer care, you don't have to travel far from home. Expert, leading-edge treatment is available right here in Astoria at the CMH-OHSU Knight Cancer Collaborative.
At Columbia Memorial Hospital, you'll find a welcoming environment designed for healing and a multi-disciplinary team focused on your well-being. At larger cancer centers, you often have to travel to see various specialists. Here, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and a robust care team are all conveniently under one roof — and they collaborate to offer you high-quality cancer care.
All of our oncologists are board-certified. That includes our radiation oncologist and two medical oncologists, who are also board-certified in hematology. Our care team also includes a medical oncology nurse practitioner and oncology nurses who are board-certified in biotherapy and immunotherapy. And we have pharmacists who are solely focused on cancer care.
Our OHSU partnership
Thanks to the partnership between CMH and OHSU, doctors from both facilities are in close contact. Our team participates in OHSU Tumor Boards, where a group of experts discuss cancer cases and how best to care for a patient. This means our patients benefit from expertise at both CMH and OHSU.
Our patients also have easy access to clinical trials, and we can fast-track appointments at OHSU when needed. While others may wait months for a consultation, our patients can get right in. It's just another benefit of the CMH-OHSU Knight Cancer Collaborative.
Reviewed 5/24/2023
Cancer: Myth or fact?
There are more than 100 types of cancer, but many of them are treatable—even curable. Some are even preventable. Nearly 4 in 10 adults will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetimes, so it's important to get the facts. Test your cancer knowledge with this quiz.
Myth or fact: Cancer survival rates have not improved since the 1990s.
Myth. Advances in prevention, screening and treatment have increased survival rates for the most common types of cancer. More than half of those living with cancer today were diagnosed 5 or more years ago.
Myth or fact: If no one in your family has had cancer, you won't get it either.
Myth. Only about 5% to 10% of cancers are passed down from parents to their children. Instead, most cancers are caused by genetic mutations that occur over a person's lifetime. For example, smoking can cause these mutations. Still, if cancer is in your family history, your doctor may recommend screening or other prevention options.
Myth or fact: You can become too old to be treated for cancer.
Myth. Decisions about cancer treatment shouldn't be based on age alone. In the U.S., more than half of all cancers occur in people who are 65 and older.
Myth or fact: Chemotherapy is the only option for cancer treatment.
Myth. Chemotherapy, or using drugs to kill cancer cells, is just one option for cancer treatment. Depending on the type of cancer, another type of treatment may be available—such as radiation therapy, surgery or immunotherapy.
Myth or fact: As soon as cancer is detected it must be treated.
Myth. In some cases, cancer may be detected early or appear to be slow-growing. If treatment poses more risk than the cancer itself, a doctor may instead closely monitor the cancer and suggest treatment when signs of growth occur.
In general, cancer that is caught in its earliest stages is easier to treat. Screening tests can help spot cancer early. And there are some things you can look for.
Common signs and symptoms of cancer
Sources: American Cancer Society; American Society of Clinical Oncology; National Cancer Institute
Person-centered cancer care
At CMH, you're not a diagnosis. You're an individual with unique needs. That's why our cancer care team includes a social worker, financial counselors and registered dietitians. We also offer resources like wig fitting, mastectomy bras and prostheses.
A new cancer diagnosis can be daunting, but our nurse navigators are here to guide you through the initial steps of care, from answering your questions and concerns to scheduling your treatment. Our triage nurses staff the phones eight hours a day, and physicians provide their own call service after hours, so you have a knowledgeable clinician available to address your needs. You can be confident you'll reach someone vested in your health.
Our high-quality care has been recognized nationwide. We're accredited by the Association of Community Cancer Centers. And we're one of only a handful of rural hospitals accredited by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Commission on Cancer (CoC).
What to expect at the cancer center
Care at the CMH-OHSU Knight Cancer Collaborative starts with a referral from your doctor. From there, your initial appointment will be about an hour. Our providers take the time to get to know you and understand your needs. Then we'll determine next steps and your individualized care plan.
Cancer can be scary, but we are with you every step of the way. Our support staff and nurses get to know patients on a first-name basis. We welcome one visitor per patient each visit. And our financial advisors can help you make sense of the monetary aspects of care.
Your well-being is our focus. If you have questions or need to make an appointment, we are here for you. Call us at 503.338.4085.
Accreditations
The Cancer Collaborative is accredited by the Commission on Cancer, demonstrating our commitment to high-quality, data-informed care, and the American College of Radiology (ACR), the most widely accepted radiation oncology accrediting body. In addition, Columbia Memorial Hospital is a Planetree Gold-Certified hospital, showing excellence in person-centered care.
Watch a video about earning ACR accreditation:
