Cancer Care in Davenport

With diagnostic imaging and other cancer screenings, our goal is to detect cancer in the earliest stages possible. Our primary care teams will recommend the best age and frequency to have these life-saving screenings, including:

• Colonoscopies for colon cancer
• Lung CTs for early lung cancer detection
• Mammograms for breast cancer
• Pap smears for cervical cancer
• Prostate checks to detect prostate cancer

Testing for cancer can lead to early detection and treatment with the goal to stop the disease before it can spread and when it’s most treatable.

Healthy lifestyle habits, exercise, healthy eating and a healthy weight can also go a long way toward cancer prevention. Your primary care provider will work with you to decrease your likelihood for cancer as much as possible.

Our advanced imaging technology gives us detailed information on the type and extent of cancer so we can diagnose it correctly. These tests include:

• CTs
• MRIs
• PET/CT scans
• Nuclear medicine
• Ultrasound technology

Biopsies also help us determine what stage the cancer is and how we can best treat it. Our physicians will guide you to the biopsy that’s right for your diagnosis, and help you understand your results. AdventHealth Heart of Florida offers three types of biopsy:

Needle
Fine needle and core needle biopsies extract cells or a small core of tissue.

Stereotactic
Computer and imaging technology guide a needle to a precise spot where a tissue sample is collected.

Open or surgical
A sample of the growth, or entire growth, is taken by making a small incision in the skin.

You can rely on the AdventHealth Heart of Florida cancer center to recommend effective, innovative cancer treatment options for your cancer diagnosis. And since we know that a cancer treatment plan can be overwhelming, we’ll walk you and your family through every treatment option and decide — together — on the path that’s right for you.

We’re proud to offer many of the latest advances in cancer care right here in Central Florida, including:

Chemotherapy

Chemo drugs kill cancer cells not just at the site of the tumor but those that have spread to other parts of the body.

Immunotherapy

In immunotherapy, the body’s immune system is stimulated to attack cancer cells.

Radiation therapy

Radiation kills cancer cells by breaking them down at the cellular level. Radiation comes in different forms: X-rays, gamma rays and electron beams.

Interventional radiology

Techniques, such as embolization, cut off blood supply to tumors. Radiofrequency ablation destroys abnormal cells.

Targeted therapy

Targeted therapy is type of chemo that targets the parts of cancer cells that make them different from healthy cells.

Surgery

Surgeons use minimally invasive techniques whenever possible, which may allow greater precision, less scaring and a faster recovery.

Our multidisciplinary cancer teams will consult with other cancer centers in Florida, if needed, to ensure you receive the most comprehensive, promising treatment plan.

When a self-exam or mammogram points toward the possibility of breast cancer, we’ll work swiftly and efficiently to determine whether breast cancer is the diagnosis.

The first step will be to perform a biopsy of the suspicious area to confirm cancerous cells. If it is cancer, a biopsy can also help identify the type and stage of the breast cancer. This important information helps guide your treatment plan.

Next, your oncologist may recommend breast cancer surgery to remove cancerous cells or have you immediately start cancer treatment.

If your doctor suggests breast cancer surgery, our surgeons will work closely with you to discuss your options and help you decide which approach is right for you. There are two types of breast cancer surgery to remove a tumor:

Lumpectomy and partial mastectomy

Surgeons remove the tumor and surrounding tissue.

Total mastectomy

During a total mastectomy, your surgeon will remove all of affected breast. Some women may have nipple-sparing mastectomy or skin-sparing mastectomy.

After a mastectomy, women may choose to undergo reconstructive breast surgery. Our plastic surgery team can help guide you to the options that are right for you.