Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute

Experts on the Head and Neck Multidisciplinary Team specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and management of patients with cancers of the head and neck. The team consists of surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, palliative care physicians, clinical research, social workers, nurse navigators, dieticians, nursing and supportive care services such as speech pathology. Members of this team are part of the esteemed group of cancer specialists at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center’s Head and Neck Center whose work earned recognition from U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 provider for Ear, Nose and Throat for 2017-2018 out of more than 4,500 medical centers in the United States.

The goal of the Head and Neck MDC team is to bring together our subspeciality team to educate, collaborate and improve the quality of care delivery. This group has developed processes and addressed challenges, with considerable contributions to quality across our health system.

Experts on the HPB/UGI Multidisciplinary Team specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and management of patients with gastro/esophageal malignancies, primary and secondary malignancies of the liver and bile duct, and benign and malignant pancreatic neoplasms. The team consists of surgical oncologists, thoracic surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, palliative care physicians, clinical research, social workers, nurse navigators, dieticians, nursing and supportive care.

The goal of the Hepatobiliary/Upper GI MDC team is to bring together our subspeciality team to educate, collaborate, and improve the quality of care delivery. This group has developed processes and addressed community and/or hospital-based concerns regarding patients with these diseases.

The Colorectal Cancer Multidisciplinary Team was the first of our multidisciplinary teams. Experts on the Colorectal MDC team specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients with colorectal malignancies. The team consists of colorectal surgeons, surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, palliative care physicians, clinical research, social workers, nurse navigators, dieticians, nursing and supportive care services such as speech pathology.

The goal of the Colorectal MDC team from its inception has always been to enhance the quality of our colorectal cancer management from prevention and diagnosis to definitive treatment and surveillance.

The most prized accomplishment of our Colorectal MDC Team has been obtaining the accreditation of the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer, or NAPRC. This is a quality initiative developed by the American College of Surgeons, and we were one of the first 15 programs in the United States to be accredited. In essence, this is a rectal cancer center of excellence, and we are the only one accredited in Louisiana. As a requirement of the program, we have rectal cancer tumor board meetings twice a month and present all rectal cancer patients prior to treatment, often after preoperative chemotherapy and radiation, and always after surgical resection.

Multidisciplinary, individualized recommendations are given after each discussion for each patient. Rigorous guidelines are required for recertification and maintenance of accreditation of NAPRC. This is a quality initiative that truly allows us to provide the highest quality multidisciplinary rectal cancer care possible.

Experts on the Lung Cancer Multidisciplinary Team specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and management of patients with lung cancer. The team consists of pulmonologists, thoracic surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, palliative care physicians, clinical research, social workers, nurse navigators, dieticians, nursing and supportive care services.

The goal of the Lung MDC team is to bring together our subspeciality team to educate, collaborate and improve the quality of care delivery. This group has developed processes and addressed challenges, with considerable contributions to quality across our health system.

Experts on the Skin and Soft Tissue MDC specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and management of patients with cancers of the skin, soft tissue and bone. The team consists of surgeons, orthopedic oncologists, dermatologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, palliative care physicians, clinical research, social workers, nurse navigators, dieticians, nursing and supportive care services. A sarcoma-dedicated pathologist reviews all potential sarcomatous specimens and coordinates with an outside expert when needed. We are one of only 35 participating cancer centers throughout the world to have enrolled patients in the Retroperitoneal Sarcoma Registry, a prospective collection of primary retroperitoneal sarcoma patients’ data, radiological and pathological material.

The goals of the Skin and Soft Tissue MDC focus on quality improvement endeavors, challenging case presentations, and a multidisciplinary educational series lead by our local cutaneous providers.

Lung cancer causes the most cancer deaths in the United States, but the chance of survival improves if diagnosed early. Lung cancer screenings are an important way to save lives and offer the potential for recovery.

Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute’s Lung Nodule Program is helping to identify more patients with lung cancer at earlier stages, often even before they experience symptoms. Every week a multidisciplinary team of experts gathers to review CT scans with lung nodules that were taken for some other reason, such as a scan of the abdomen for another condition. If lung nodules were noticed in those scans, this team will discuss next steps, such as ongoing monitoring of the patient or plans for a biopsy or more testing. Since starting in spring 2021, the program has identified many patients with lung cancer earlier and put them on a path for recovery.

Find more resources about lung cancer here.

Experts on our Head and Neck Multidisciplinary Team treat cancers in the larynx, throat, lips, mouth, nose and salivary glands. Members of this team have been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top provider for ear, nose and throat care.

Most head and neck cancers can be prevented. At least 75 percent of cases are caused by alcohol and tobacco. People who are at risk of head and neck cancers―particularly those who use tobacco―should talk with their doctor about ways to stop using tobacco to reduce risk.

Find more resources about head and neck cancer here.

Colorectal cancer is a type of cancer that usually begins as a growth, known as a polyp, forming inside the large intestines in the colon or rectum. As the polyp grows it can become invasive and develop into a cancer.

Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute is accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) of the American College of Surgeons, which focuses on reducing variations in outcomes for rectal cancer patients and grants accreditation only to those programs committed to providing the best possible care to patients with rectal cancer.

Find more resources about colorectal cancer here.

• Esophageal
• Liver
• Pancreatic
• Skin and Soft Tissue