Huntington Cancer Center | Huntington Hospital

Our renowned Huntington Cancer Center delivers comprehensive expertise and support that will guide you through diagnosis, treatment and recovery.

“I can’t say enough great things….the doctors and staff are thorough, tenacious and caring, and the resources available there are truly amazing.”
MARG BLASIAR, BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR

Our Team

Led by medical directors from a range of cancer specialties, our team is committed to treating you as a whole person, not just your cancer diagnosis.

MEDICAL DIRECTOR
Howard S. Kaufman, MD

Cancer
Colorectal Cancer Program

MEDICAL DIRECTOR
Ruth Williamson, MD

Breast Cancer Services & Radiation Oncology

MEDICAL DIRECTOR
Amy Polverini, MD

Breast Surgery

MEDICAL DIRECTOR
Robbin Cohen, MD

Thoracic Oncology

MEDICAL DIRECTOR
Sachiv Sheth, MD

Pathology Services

Comprehensive Treatment & Support

When you choose the Huntington Cancer Center to help you fight cancer, we support you every step of the way.

DIAGNOSIS

TREATMENT OPTIONS

SUPPORT SERVICES

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Cancer Screening Guidelines

Cancer screening is a critical part of proactively managing your health; it might be time for you to add regular screening to your annual health checkups.

Huntington’s Cancer Committee has developed these cancer screening guidelines, bringing together the most up-to-date recommendations from the American Cancer Society and other leading cancer authorities.

Explore the guidelines by clicking the cancer diagnoses to read the full recommendations.

The American College of Radiology (ACR) and Society of Breast Imaging (SBI) now call for all women to have a risk assessment at age 30 to see if screening earlier than age 40 is needed. The ACR recommends annual mammography screening starting at age 40 for women of average risk of developing breast cancer.

Higher-risk women should start mammographic screening earlier and may benefit from supplemental screening modalities.

For women with genetics-based increased risk (and their untested first-degree relatives), with a calculated lifetime risk of 20% or more or a history of chest or mantle radiation therapy at a young age, supplemental screening with contrast-enhanced breast MRI is recommended.
Breast MRI is also recommended for women with personal histories of breast cancer and dense tissue, or those diagnosed by age 50.
Others with histories of breast cancer and those with atypia at biopsy should consider additional surveillance with MRI, especially if other risk factors are present.

Source: American College of Radiology (ACR), Society of Breast Imaging (SBI)

If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, please visit our Huntington Breast Cancer page for more information about our expert cancer support from treatment through recovery.

Begin screening at age 21

AGE/POPULATION

21-29 years of age

30-65 years of age

Older than 65 years of age

Women who have undergone hysterectomy

Women who have received the HPV vaccination

GUIDELINES

Cytology every 3 years (liquid or conventional). Recommend against an annual pap smear.

Co-testing with cytology and HPV testing every 5 years (preferred) or every 3 years with cytology alone (acceptable).

Discontinue if no history of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or higher in past 20 years and 3 negative Pap smear results or 2 negative HPV test results in past 10 years, if most recent test was within 5 years.

Discontinue if hysterectomy was for benign reason.

Same as for unvaccinated women.

Source: The American Cancer Society Guidelines for the Prevention and Early Detection of Cervical Cancer, American Society for Coloscopy and Cervical Pathology, American Society for Clinical Pathology

If you have been diagnosed with cervical cancer, please visit our Huntington Gynecological Cancer page for more information about our expert cancer support from treatment through recovery.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends that adults aged 45 and older with an average risk of colorectal cancer undergo regular screening with either a high-sensitivity stool-based test or a structural (visual) examination, depending on patient preference and test availability.

As a part of the screening process, all positive results on non-colonoscopy screening tests should be followed up with timely colonoscopy.

The ACS recommends that average-risk adults in good health with a life expectancy of greater than 10 years, continue colorectal cancer screening through the age of 75. The ACS recommends that clinicians individualize colorectal cancer (CRC) screening decisions for individuals aged 76 through 85 based on patient preferences, life expectancy, health status, and prior screening history. The ACS recommends that clinicians discourage individuals over age 85 from continuing colorectal cancer screening.

Options for CRC screening

Stool-based tests:

Fecal immunochemical test every year
High-sensitivity, guaiac-based fecal occult blood test every year
Multitarget stool DNA test every 3 years

Structural examinations:

Colonoscopy every 10 years
CT colonography every 5 years
Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years

These recommendations represent guidance from the ACS for persons without a history of adenomatous polyps or colorectal cancer and not at increased risk for colorectal cancer due to a family history of colorectal cancer, a confirmed or suspected hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome, a personal history of abdominal or pelvic radiation for a previous cancer, or a personal history of inflammatory bowel disease.

Source: American Cancer Society (ACS)

If you have been diagnosed with colorectal cancer, please visit our Huntington Colorectal Cancer page for more information about our expert cancer support from treatment through recovery.

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends annual screening for lung cancer with low-dose computed tomography for those who qualify.

Qualified Patients

Aged 55 to 80 years old
30 or more packs a year smoking history
Currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years
Showing no sign of respiratory/breathing issues
Ability or willingness to have curative lung surgery

Source: United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)

If you have been diagnosed with lung cancer, please visit our Huntington Lung Cancer page for more information about our expert cancer support from treatment through recovery.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends that men have a chance to make an informed decision with their health care provider about whether to be screened for prostate cancer. The decision should be made after getting information about the uncertainties, risks, and potential benefits of prostate cancer screening. Men should not be screened unless they have received this information. The discussion about screening should take place at:

Age 50 for men who are at average risk of prostate cancer and are expected to live at least 10 more years.
Age 45 for men at high risk of developing prostate cancer. This includes African Americans and men who have a first-degree relative (father, brother, or son) diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age (younger than age 65).
Age 40 for men at even higher risk (those with more than one first-degree relative who had prostate cancer at an early age).

After this discussion, men who want to be screened should be tested with the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. The digital rectal exam (DRE) may also be done as a part of screening.

If, after this discussion, a man is unable to decide if testing is right for him, the screening decision can be made by the health care provider, who should take into account the man’s general health preferences and values.

If no prostate cancer is found as a result of screening, the time between future screenings depends on the results of the PSA blood test:

Men who choose to be tested who have a PSA of less than 2.5 ng/mL may only need to be retested every 2 years.
Screening should be done yearly for men whose PSA level is 2.5 ng/mL or higher.

Source: American Cancer Society (ACS)

If you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, please visit our Huntington Prostate Cancer page for more information about our expert cancer support from treatment through recovery.

Patient Stories

Mick

Mick has been an avid saxophone player for the past two decades. When he was diagnosed with lung cancer three years ago, his greatest fear was that he would not be able to play his beloved instrument, after surgery, radiation and four rounds of chemotherapy, Mick was able to blow horn with the best of […]

Jackie

“I had the most amazing team taking care of me at Huntington Cancer Center. With so many treatment options, lung cancer can be treated and even cured it doesn’t have to mean a death sentence. I’m thankful for every day,” says Jackie Steimke. Watch as Jackie shares her experience battling lung cancer with the support […]

Cynthia

Cynthia talks about the turn of events that revealed a cancer that would not have been found, had it not been for providence and circumstance. The Huntington Hospital team approach helped her through the entire experience. We’re so glad we were able to help her through this ordeal and that she’s here to tell us […]

Anita

Thanks to care received at Huntington Hospital, Anita Chavez is now cancer-free. When she found a lump during a breast self-examination, “I knew immediately that it was cancer,” she says. “I had a history of developing cysts — and the lump I found felt different.” Anita’s physician referred her to our Jim and Eleanor Randall […]

View all patient stories here.