Cancer Care Services

ECHN’s cancer care services offer the most advanced diagnostics, cancer treatment and symptom management services available today all in one place. This makes cancer care more accessible and closer to home to help remove some of the stress of fighting the disease. Your cancer case is individually reviewed by a multi-disciplinary team of radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, radiologists, surgeons, and nurse navigators to provide insights into your cancer diagnosis, set realistic goals and formulate a treatment plan for the best possible chance of success and survivorship.

ECHN’s cancer care services are designed to provide every possible care service and resource you might need both during and after your cancer journey. Our comprehensive services include:

Cancer Treatment

Surgical Oncology
ECHN has dedicated and experienced surgeons that are part of a comprehensive network that also serve Hartford Healthcare and Trinity Health of New England to provide a team approach to cancer care in order to optimize care. Our surgeons have expertise in the areas of breast, gynecology, thoracic, urology, and gastroenterology.  

Medical Oncology and Chemotherapy
Regional Cancer Care Associates is a medical oncology group that specializes in all aspects of oncology and is one of the largest networks of cancer care physicians in the United States. This means that our patients have access to innovative therapies, clinical trials, sophisticated diagnostics, second opinions, and physicians that have knowledge of the latest in medical advances to give you the best chance for the most positive outcome. They provide our patients with the highest level of care in a community cancer center close to home. Each patient is unique and we strive to use our experience to provide individualized care to every patient. When appropriate, patients receive treatment, including chemotherapy and immunotherapy, given by our knowledgeable and dedicated nursing staff in our on-site Infusion Center at the John A. DeQuattro Cancer Center.

Radiation Therapy
In addition to medical oncology, many patients are also prescribed radiation therapy as part of their cancer treatment. Radiation oncologists work closely with your medical oncologists, cancer surgeons, and other members of your care team to provide highly individualized cancer treatment. The John A. DeQuattro Cancer Center partners with Hartford Radiation Oncology Associates for radiation oncology, and a team of physicists, dosimetrists, nurses, and radiation therapists who also serve Hartford Healthcare to provide targeted, high-energy radiation to the area of the body containing the cancer to safely destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. Our team uses innovative, medical technology for the most precise and effective treatment.

Integrative Health Services

Our integrative medicine therapies include cancer-specific holistic offerings to help ease the side effects caused by cancer and cancer treatments. These services can help relax your body and improve your state of mind.

Our programs include:

• Community Acupuncture
• Manual Lymph Drainage
• Massage Therapy

Pre-registration is required to participate in these programs. To register, please call 860.533.4646.

Integrative health services are also available at the Women’s Center for Wellness, located at ECHN’s South Windsor Campus.

Support Services

As important as effective diagnosis and treatment, cancer support services through ECHN are offered primarily through the John A. DeQuattro Cancer Center and play an important role in helping you and your family or caregivers through a difficult journey. We provide the following services:

• Nurse and Oncology Social Work Navigation, which is available to help you navigate through your cancer care treatment plan, enhance your healthcare system experience, and support you, your family and caregivers as your manage the physician and emotional stress that can come with your cancer journey.  
• Education, information and research about cancer and treatment options
• Home care to help with symptom management, rehabilitation, and coping skills, among others
• Nutrition consultations that provide individualized nutrition plans based on each person’s unique needs and lifestyle to help support them before, during and after cancer treatment
• Cancer Support groups for both patients and their caregivers.
• On-site shop for wigs and scarves
• Palliative Care through Visiting Nurse and Health Services of Connecticut ; Hospice and palliative care to offer compassionate support to cancer patients, focusing on enhanced comfort, managing symptoms and improving the quality of life during the treatment journey.  
• Pastoral care for spiritual needs
• Preventative programs, including Freedom From Smoking and Early Detection Program
• Social services to help with the emotional and financial stresses of cancer
• Bereavement counseling

Low-Dose CT Lung Cancer Screening

ECHN is proud to provide low-dose CT lung cancer screenings at the following afilliated locations: Manchester Memorial Hospital, Rockville General Hospital, Evergreen Imaging and Tolland Imaging Center. All facilities have earned the distinction of accredited facilities from the American College of Radiology to perform this screening.

Annual lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) in high-risk patients significantly reduces lung cancer deaths. This screening can identify cancers at an early, treatable and curable stage. Given that the American Cancer Society predicts 135,720 lung cancer deaths  this year, more-widespread screening could save 30,000–60,000 lives in the United States each year.

According to The National Lung Screening Trial (NLST), criteria for lung cancer screening are:

• A current or former smoker (former smokers having quit within the past 20 years)
• No history of lung cancer
• Someone between the ages of 50 to 77 years

If you are interested in an early lung cancer detection imaging study talk to your doctor. To schedule an appointment, call 860.646.1222 ext. 1406 or ext. 1408