Formed in 1992, Frankford Hospitals’ Cancer Program provides a comprehensive range of high-quality patient care and support services. Board-certified surgeons and surgical oncologists, radiation oncologists and medical oncologists, radiologists, pain management specialists, certified cancer nurses and social workers team together to treat both the physical and emotional sides of cancer in a comfortable setting. Our patients are also offered a broad range of educational and support services.

In addition, Frankford’s Cancer Center, located at Frankford Hospital – Torresdale, is a participating member of the Jefferson Cancer Network, offering patients the most current and sophisticated clinical trials available. Frankford’s Cancer Center also participates in dozens of national clinical cancer research studies through membership in the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG), the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project, and the Jefferson Oncology Research Group. Our cancer services are also available at Frankford Hospital – Frankford and Frankford Hospital – Bucks County.

Surgical Services
Board-certified surgeons and surgical oncologists work with medical oncologists, pathologists and radiation oncologists to diagnose, evaluate and treat a variety of cancers. Our surgical team specializes in cancer of the breast, lung, colon, prostate, stomach, bladder, kidney, pancreas and esophagus. Subspecialists are provided for a wide range of malignancies, including tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, head, neck, brain and spinal cord. New and investigational techniques like sentinal node biopsy in the treatment of breast cancer, prostate seed implantation for prostate cancer, and hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy for kidney cancer are also available to patients.

Radiation Oncology Services
An experienced team of radiation oncology physicians, physicists, nurses and therapists evaluates people with cancer and offers customized treatment to each patient. The Department of Radiation Oncology at Frankford Hospital – Torresdale is equipped with two Varian 2100C linear accelerators and the most advanced three-dimensional treatment planning system.

Patients are also offered the precision of Intensity Modulated Radiation Treatment (IMRT), a new treatment technology that enables more focused delivery of radiation therapy by varying the intensity of the radiation beam. This is one of the newest forms of radiation therapy and is currently available at only a few hospitals in Philadelphia. IMRT also employs Multi Leaf Collimation, a process that uses sophisticated computer software that automatically shapes patients' individual therapy plans to target their cancer site.

Frankford’s Department of Radiation Oncology also offers a computed tomography (CT) simulator, which allows patients to have their CT scans taken right in the department. This technology provides physicians with the fastest diagnostic and treatment planning capability available. Frankford’s radiation oncologists are all board certified and faculty members of Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University.

Medical Oncology/Chemotherapy Services
Frankford’s board-certified medical oncologists diagnose, evaluate and treat malignancies with the latest chemotherapy and immunotherapy drugs, and offer enrollment in national cancer research studies. These physicians, along with nurses with advanced training in oncology, provide a personalized approach to cancer treatment in a comfortable outpatient treatment area.

The outpatient chemotherapy infusion suite at Frankford – Torresdale administers 7,000 chemotherapy treatments per year, and is one of the largest in the Delaware Valley. Our oncology-certified nurses are all members of American Board of Nursing Specialties and provide support and encouragement for our patients.

Radiology
Frankford’s team of diagnostic radiologists interpret studies conducted with the most advanced technology available, including the LightSpeed™ CT scanner, MRI, endorectal ultrasound, nuclear medicine studies, mammography and the minimally invasive Advanced Breast Biopsy Instrumentation (ABBI).

Frankford Hospital was one of the first medical centers in the country to install the LightSpeed™ CT scanner, which produces more detailed images of the human body faster than ever before. The LightSpeed™ builds on the science of earlier models that move 360 degrees around the patient to take pictures of the anatomy being studied in “slices”. The advantage of the new scanner is that it takes four pictures of the part of the body being studied simultaneously, while obtaining thinner “slices” of information that provide more specific, richer data that can detect lesions that the older scanners could not. This technology has the potential to increase image clarity for the diagnosis of cancer, spinal injuries and pediatric conditions.

Pain Management Services
Led by two board-certified anesthesiologists, Frankford’s Pain Management Center works along with the Cancer Program team to develop customized pain management plans for our cancer patients. The Center’s staff utilizes the latest in pain management techniques, including radiofrequency ablation and implantable infusion devices. In addition to clinical management, the Center offers education on prescribed modalities to both patients and their families.

Multidisciplinary Programs

Breast Health Program
Since 1995, Frankford’s Breast Health Program has treated over 700 patients newly diagnosed with breast cancer with a multidisciplinary treatment approach. On the same day, a woman receives medical evaluation from a surgeon, radiation oncologist, medical oncologist and a reconstructive plastic surgeon who have reviewed her medical situation with a diagnostic pathologist and radiologist prior to her consultation. The team then reviews all of the patient’s x-rays, mammograms, medical records and pathology slides to develop an individualized treatment plan. The patient also has the opportunity to ask questions and get immediate answers about her care. Second opinion consultations with our breast cancer specialists are promptly available.

Prostate Seed Implantation Program
Frankford offers prostate seed implantation therapy (also called brachytherapy), a new form of radiation therapy for prostate cancer. This procedure involves inserting low-dose radioactive “seeds” into the prostate to administer localized radiation to the tumor. A urologist, radiation oncologist and a diagnostic radiologist work closely with the patient to create an individualized treatment plan.