IV Therapy
Strength. Support. Science. Every Step.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a cancer treatment designed to stimulate or suppress the body’s immune system to fight cancer. It uses materials made by the body or in a laboratory to improve, target, or restore immune system function.
Targeted therapy
Targeted therapy attacks specific cancer cells and keeps them from growing, reproducing, and/or kills the cancer cells. Unlike chemotherapy, targeted therapies have little impact on normal cells. Starve cancer of the hormones needed to grow. Targeted therapies prevent the body from making specific hormones or prevent the hormones from acting on cancer cells.
The ways targeted therapies work:
- Help the immune system destroy cancer cells by targeting the proteins on the cancer cells, making it is easier for the immune system to find and destroy them.
- Stop cancer cells from growing by interfering with the proteins on the surface of the cancer cell, preventing cells from dividing and reproducing.
- Interfere with signaling within the cell that tells the cell to grow and divide.
- Stops signals that help form blood vessels, preventing blood flow to the cancer cells, making them shrink and die.
- Deliver cell-killing substances to cancer cells through monoclonal antibodies, which are combined with a toxin. The monoclonal antibody attaches to the surface of the cancer cell, the cells take up the toxin, which kills the cancer cells.
- Starve cancer of the hormones needed to grow. Targeted therapies prevent the body from making specific hormones or prevent the hormones from acting on cancer cells.
Bispecifics
Targeted therapy attacks specific cancer cells and keeps them from growing, reproducing, and/or kills the cancer cells. Unlike chemotherapy, targeted therapies have little impact on normal cells. Starve cancer of the hormones needed to grow. Targeted therapies prevent the body from making specific hormones or prevent the hormones from acting on cancer cells.
Chemotherapy
Cancer occurs when a cell begins to rapidly divide and a tumor forms. Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to destroy cancer cells. It works by keeping the cancer cells from growing and dividing to make more cells. Chemotherapy gets into the bloodstream, travels throughout the body, and kills cancer cells wherever they may be located.
Learn About Side Effects & Management
Chemotherapy can affect everyone differently, and understanding potential side effects is an important step in preparing for treatment. From fatigue to nausea, our team is here to help you manage symptoms and maintain your quality of life. Learn more about common side effects and ways to stay comfortable throughout your journey.
With the right tools, support, and guidance, many patients find they can continue doing the things they love.
Fertility and Fertility Preservation
What is Fertility?
Fertility is the ability to produce children, which is dependent on age, health, medical conditions, and other factors. Fertility problems can occur as a result of cancer or the treatment of cancer. Organs involved in reproduction or hormone production can be affected, which may be temporary or permanent. Therefore, men and women of childbearing age, who want to have children, may want to consider fertility preservation. There are different options for fertility preservation such as oocyte freezing or sperm banking. In most cases, fertility preservation should occur before beginning treatment.
When to Contact Us
IV Therapy Side Effects can differ for each patient. Please let us know if you do not feel well, if something is troubling you, or if you are in need of assistance after IV Therapy. Many times there are simple measures that can be taken to alleviate your problems. We want you to call us or notify us when you are in the clinic about the problems you are having. Do not assume that you must “live with it,” or that “it goes along with the treatment”.
When you call during office hours, our switchboard operators will connect you to our triage nurse. If the nurse is not available at the time you call, you will be sent to voicemail. Please leave a message – do not hang up and call back. Your chart will be accessed, and the nurse will return your phone call. Based on the number of calls received, it may be an hour or two before you receive a return call.
If you have a problem after hours or on weekends, call 479-587-1700. The Highlands Oncology Answering Service will communicate your message to the doctor on call. Your call will be returned by Dr. Hayward, Dr. Bradford, Dr. Beck, Dr. Travis, Dr. Oakhill, Dr Rosenfeld, or Dr Schaefer. Do not worry if your physician is not on call. All of our doctors are oncologists with many years of experience; therefore any one of them will be able to help you.