Medical Oncology

At Gettysburg Cancer Center, our team prides itself on our ability to provide the highest level of care for our patients. Our medical oncology practice has been established in the area for over 25 years, with a focus on providing the latest advancements in medical oncology treatment with a customized approach to meet the psychological, emotional, and sometimes spiritual needs of our patients.

What Is Chemotherapy?

Cell growth and division is a natural part of body function, but when cancer occurs, it means that once-healthy cells begin to reproduce uncontrollably, stealing space from healthy cells and pushing on organs, blood vessels, and tissue. A widely used cancer treatment, chemotherapy is a method that kills dividing cells to prevent them from continuing to grow, divide, and develop tumors.

What Does Chemotherapy Do?

Used either to prevent cancer from progressing or eliminate its presence entirely, chemotherapy refers to a range of drugs administered either through injection into the bloodstream or direct exposure to specific cancer sites. To stop cancer from continuing to grow, chemotherapy drugs can do the following:

• Prevent further cell division
• Target and eliminate the food source cancer cells need to grow
• Trigger apoptosis, which is when cancer cells kill themselves
• Stop new blood vessels from forming around tumors, starving the tumor itself

Side Effects of Chemotherapy

While often extremely beneficial in preventing cancer progression or bringing about remission, chemotherapy does come with its potential side effects, including:

• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Pain
• Vomiting
• Hair loss

Because of some possible risks and adverse side effects, it’s recommended for patients to receive blood tests before beginning treatment. Chemotherapy is performed in various sessions with breaks in between to give the body a chance to recover.

Oncology Services

Specializing in compassionate care that feels like home, we offer the following services:

• Chemotherapy infusions of all outpatient oncology medications
• Targeted chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy
• Infusions of IV iron and other hematological therapies such as IVIG
• Clinical trials
• Injection therapies such as B12 and Prolia
• Supportive care of existing patients by our specialty trained nurses with IV hydration, IV anti-emetics, and steroids
• Therapeutic phlebotomies
• Infusions of non-oncologic medications for neurological and rheumatological disorders such as Tysabri and Remicade
• OCN certified clinical coordinator
• Outpatient infusions services close to home