Cancer Care

When cancer strikes, your first chance to fight back is your best chance.  And, at St. Mary's Hospital, we’re ready to provide you with the most advanced technology to prevent, detect and treat cancer so that your story is one of success.

As the Southern Maryland population expands, so has our facility’s desire to meet the growing needs of our residents.  That’s why we are proud to announce the development of our oncology treatment program – St. Mary's Hospital Cancer Care.  From education and coordination of care to diagnostic testing and surgery, our new program includes comprehensive cancer care delivered in a welcoming environment of support and compassion.  We’ve assembled a dedicated team of experts who believe that personalized treatment is a key element in the healing process.

St. Mary's Hospital Cancer Care provides inpatient and outpatient oncology services through board certified oncologists and oncology certified nurses.  These include bio-therapy and chemotherapy administration; bone marrow aspirations and biopsies; thoracentesis; blood/blood product transfusions; venous access device management; and intravenous hydration and antibiotics.

Accreditation

With an Approved Cancer Program by the Commission on Cancer from the American College of Surgeons, St. Mary's Hospital is equipped with the highest quality assurance and safety standards to assist each of our patients in their journey toward productive, cancer-free lives. The SMH program is also accredited by the Joint Commission.

Introducing Our Patient Navigator

In the coming months, St. Mary's Hospital will introduce a Patient Navigator to the Cancer Care program.  This individual will be a nurse with specialized oncology expertise who will guide patients through the process of scheduling treatments, coordinating care, sharing community resources, researching financial support and receiving follow-up care.  According to the National Cancer Institute, Patient Navigators “help patients move through the complexities of the healthcare system, assisting them with more timely care as well as providing information about treatment options and preventive behaviors.”

Participating in Clinical Cancer Trials

St. Mary's Hospital has joined Medlantic Research Associates, the National Cancer Institute and the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project to bring cutting-edge cancer care to Southern Maryland.  St. Mary's Hospital Cancer Care patients may also elect to participate in cooperative trials with medical centers including Georgetown, University of Maryland, Good Samaritan, Washington Hospital Center, Washington Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health.

Chesapeake Potomac Regional Cancer Center in Charlotte Hall

In April of 2006, the Chesapeake-Potomac Healthcare Alliance (a partnership between St. Mary's Hospital, Calvert Memorial Hospital and Civista Health) along with the Maryland Regional Cancer Care opened the Chesapeake Potomac Regional Cancer Center in Charlotte Hall.  The Center offers a variety of therapies, including external beam radiation, advanced CT simulations and 3-D treatment planning in a comfortable, close-to-home setting.

Supportive Services

St. Mary's Hospital’s team approach includes the following supportive services:

• Social workers who address quality of life issues of oncology patients and caregivers through counseling and appropriate referral services.
• A pharmaceutical staff to provide counseling on chemotherapy and disease-related side effects, pain management strategies and drug information.
• Rehabilitation services to enhance daily functioning and improve quality of life. Services include pain relief, strengthening and range of motion exercises, assistive devices for ambulation, speech therapy for head/neck cancer patients, and a lymphedema program.
• Registered dieticians who show patients and caregivers how to maintain nutrition during cancer treatment and teach classes on dietary guidelines for optimal health.
• Hospice services to maximize quality of life through physical, emotional, social, and spiritual care via an interdisciplinary team of professionals and trained volunteers with emphasis on pain and symptom management.

Diagnostic Services

St Mary’s Hospital Cancer Care, in cooperation with Alliance Imaging, offers the only PET/CT scan combination in Southern Maryland.  PET, or Positron Emission Tomography, is a nuclear medicine procedure that produces pictures of the body’s biological functions.  In oncology, PET is the sole technology that can accurately view many organs in a single pass, to determine if there is a malignancy.  Combined with a computed tomography (CT) exam, PET can determine whether cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

Radiology services offered at St. Mary's Hospital include angiography, CT, digital radiography, mammography, MRI, nuclear medicine, ultrasonography, fluoroscopy, biopsies, needle localization under mammography, and lymphoscintigraphy.  Pathology services include tissue analysis, immunohistochemistry and cytochemistry stains, tumor markers and specific prognostic indicators, staging assistance, videomicroscopy at Tumor Boards and laboratory services.

Discovering Support in St. Mary's County

Cancer Support Group

The cancer program at St. Mary's Hospital, in conjunction with the American Cancer Society, sponsors a Cancer Support Group which meets the first and third Wednesday of each month in the hospital Atrium from 7 - 8:30 p.m.  Each month, scheduled speakers discuss relevant topics selected by the group. The Cancer Support Group is open to adults and children, family members, caregivers and friends.  Please call 301-475-6070 for information about the next Cancer Support Group meeting.

Look Good, Feel Better

Patients at any stage of cancer diagnosis and treatment can learn beauty techniques to overcome the side-effects of chemotherapy and radiation at hands-on classes, offered in partnership with the National Cosmetology Association and the American Cancer Society.

National Cancer Survivors’ Day Celebrations at St. Mary's Hospital

Each year, St. Mary's Hospital joins more than 650 other communities nationwide to celebrate National Cancer Survivor’s Day with a picnic.  People living with a history of cancer as well as their family and friends gather on the hospital grounds for an afternoon of food and fellowship.  For more information on this special event, call 301-475-6070.

Cancer Information on the Web

National Cancer Institute
American Cancer Society
OncoLink
American College of Surgeons

Review other cancer information links in the Resources section of this website.

Contact Information:

Cancer Care and Infusion Services

Main: 301-475-6070

St. Mary's Hospital Mailing Address: