Your Care Team

The services of the Huntington Cancer Center are provided by some of our nation's premier specialists in the field. Many of our physicians are on the faculty of such National Cancer Institute-designated facilities as City of Hope; University of California, Los Angeles; and USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Hospital.

Our medical staff have introduced a number of leading-edge treatment protocols to our region, including robotic assisted and minimally invasive surgery. These types of surgery provide outcomes comparable or better than those of more traditional surgery, but with potentially less pain, shorter hospital stays, and reduced recovery time.

Our joint patient-care conferences bring together our own staff along with others from National Cancer Institute-designated medical centers, helping to ensure the best thinking with regard to individual patient care. Such interinstitutional collaboration happens nowhere else in Los Angeles County, and perhaps nowhere else in the nation.

The Center's multilingual capabilities help ensure that patients can communicate fully and openly with regard to their hopes, questions and concerns.

Our multidisciplinary team includes:

Surgeons with expertise in cancer surgeries.

Radiologists with superlative skills in the application of radiologic technology for cancer screening and diagnosis. Our radiologists are also experts in the diagnostic use of PET scans, which indicate cancer-related cellular changes before they are visible with CTs or MRIs.

Medical Oncologists expert in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Radiation Oncologists, trained physicians who oversee the treatment of cancer patients at the Center, using the latest radiation therapy techniques, including linear-accelerator radiation and intensity-modulated radiation.

Specialists, physicians with specialized training in the treatment of many diseases and conditions. Through extensive training and experience in the field, these physicians have become leading experts in the diagnosis of cancer.

Pathologists with extensive training and experience in the analysis of body tissue to confirm or rule out a diagnosis of cancer - and to help identify any special considerations that may influence treatment decisions. Several of our pathologists received their training at the renowned Mayo Clinic and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. All biopsy results are analyzed by at least two pathologists at the Center, ensuring the very highest degree of accuracy.

Dietitians with far-reaching knowledge of the nutritional needs of cancer patients - including special considerations during radiation or chemotherapy treatment. These professionals consult regularly with our medical team to ensure patients' needs are met.

Oncology Social Workers, who understand the emotional and psychosocial pressures faced by cancer patients, and who are available to assist with a comprehensive range of referrals and support services.

RN Nurse Navigator, a registered nurse who is responsible for streamlining and coordinating the entire, often-complex diagnosis, treatment and follow-up process for cancer patients. This may include advocacy with insurance companies, assistance with scheduling, and much more. For patients who require hospital admission, inpatient care coordinators are also available to assist with discharge and post-hospitalization services. The care-coordination program at Huntington Cancer Center is unique in our region and provides significant benefits and peace of mind to our patients and their families.

Symptom-Management Care Coordinator who assists patients experiencing cancer-related side effects or pain. This registered nurse helps assess the patient's need for symptom-management services, works with each patient's physician to ensure that appropriate pain management is provided, and coordinates appropriate complementary therapies.

Oncology Research Coordinators who, with our physicians and patient-care coordinator, assess patients' eligibility for participation in available clinical trials. Our research coordinators are also responsible for ensuring proper documentation and patient follow-up regarding the trials available at the Center - and for referring patients as appropriate to other clinical trials around the United States and Canada.

Nursing Staff specially prepared to provide both inpatient and outpatient care to cancer patients in the area of radiation oncology, nurses help assess patients' needs and work closely with physicians to provide exceptional cancer care. Our inpatient oncology nurses are all expert in the administration of chemotherapy, and are rigorously trained in all other aspects of cancer care.

Pharmacists, who collaborate extensively with our physicians to design appropriate drug therapies for patients.

Appearance Center with a licensed cosmetologist, who assists patients with make-up application, human-hair prostheses, wigs and more, in order that they may look their best during and after treatment.

For more information, please call us toll-free at 1-888-55-CANCER (1-888-552-2623).