NEXT STEPS BREAST CANCER SURVIVORSHIP CLINIC PROVIDES POST-TREATMENT CARE
UAB ORAL ONCOLOGY AMONG FIRST IN SOUTHEAST TO USE AUGMENTED REALITY IN HEAD AND NECK CANCER SURGERY
■❚ PATIENT CARE
NEXT STEPS BREAST CANCER SURVIVORSHIP CLINIC PROVIDES POST-TREATMENT CARE
There are over 4 million breast cancer survivors in the United States , more than with any other type of cancer . Patients undergoing treatment usually have frequent appointments with their oncologist and other members of the care team , but they may not see them often once treatment is complete – despite the benefits of long-term follow-up care .
Survivors can receive specialized , personalized care from UAB Medicine ’ s Next Steps Breast Cancer Survivorship Clinic . A collaboration between the O ’ Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center and the UAB Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship , the clinic provides ongoing monitoring for long-term complications and looks for early signs should the breast cancer return . The Next Steps Clinic also focuses on promoting health through preventive care and by partnering with a dedicated survivorship social worker to address any needs or concerns .
New clinic patients receive a survivorship guidebook detailing their treatment
summary , customized care plan , followup recommendations and clinic contact information . Depending on the therapy the survivor received , screening tests to detect treatment-related complications may be recommended and ordered .
UAB ORAL ONCOLOGY AMONG FIRST IN SOUTHEAST TO USE AUGMENTED REALITY IN HEAD AND NECK CANCER SURGERY
The Oral Oncology Clinic at the University of Alabama at Birmingham is taking patient imaging beyond flat screens with the new Brainlab Mixed Reality Viewer . This new platform uses mixed reality technology to showcase a hyper-realistic 3D view of patients ’ head and neck tumors .
UAB is the only hospital in Alabama and one of 15 hospitals in the nation that are using this platform , leveraging augmented reality to assist in cancer surgery .
With this technology , surgeons at the O ’ Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center can take scans of a patient ’ s tumor and transform them into an image that allows for a 360-degree view of the interior and exterior of the skull and tumor . This platform offers surgeons clear and superior margins for tumors and allows them to maintain normal tissue and anatomy during their procedures , leading to better patient outcomes .
“ Prior to this technology , the surgeon ’ s ability to resect a tumor could be restricted based on the limited visibility of vital structures ,” said Anthony Morlandt , M . D ., DDS , a professor with dual appointment in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and the Department of Otolaryngology . “ Now we have even more resources available to us that allow us to develop the best possible solution to each patient ’ s condition .”
Morlandt , also a scientist at the O ’ Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center , says he is thrilled to be able to offer this technology to UAB patients . “ We realize a head and neck tumor can be life-changing , so we are always searching for resources that can help us identify the best course of treatment for each of our patients ,” he said .
In addition to using this platform to help patients with head and neck tumors , Morlandt also looks forward to using it to help train and mentor the next generation of leaders in oral oncology . “ With the quality of this video and the real-time imaging this platform offers , we can teach fellows from around the world how to use this technology both in and outside of the classroom ,” Morlandt said . “ We ’ re proud to offer this new technology that allows us to better serve our patients and students .”
— ANNA JONES
56 | O ’ NEAL COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER