Colorado Cancer Center at St Mary's Hospital from SCL Health on Vimeo.
Cancer may make you feel like you’ve lost control. We’ll put you back in charge of your life with proven therapies and the latest science, keeping you close to home and the people who help you stay strong.
How we diagnose and treat cancer
Our specialists are skilled in treating all types of cancer and create personalized care plans, which often combine treatments to give you the best outcome.
St. Mary’s offers the choices in treatment and technology you’d expect from a major academic center but with a much more personal touch – and all in your own backyard. For most cancers, you can receive all the care you need right here in Grand Junction. From the moment you receive a diagnosis to post-treatment, you will have a dedicated, caring team focused on your needs.
It starts with a screening to learn about the stresses you’re feeling – from concerns about treatments or side effects to worries about financial burdens or transportation. From there, we make a plan to address each concern so you can focus on the process of getting well.
Supporting patients and families
We know that life is busy and that you need us to help you navigate your cancer journey. From making your first screening appointment, to understanding your cancer diagnosis, to treatment and beyond, our patient navigators are here to guide you every step of the way.
Cancer services and treatments
Our comprehensive services for cancer begin with prevention and screening. To detect and monitor cancer, we offer advanced technology, including:
- Tomosynthesis (3-D mammography) – Provides a more complete picture of the breast and can better reveal early-stage or hard-to-find cancers
- A 64-slice PET/CT scan – Enables radiologists to see a more accurate picture of abnormal cell growth
Our team of cancer specialists creates personalized treatment plans for every patient. Your plan may include one or a combination of these approaches:
As part of treatment, we apply some of the latest tools available to attack tumors and malignancies with precision, while protecting nearby healthy tissue. These include:
- Varian TrueBeam™ linear accelerator.
- Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR)
- 4-D computed tomography
- 3-D conformal radiation (3D-CRT)
- Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) using volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT)
Types of cancer
We treat all cancers regardless of type and stage. Here are a few of the most common:
What to expect
Everything we do aims to extend or maximize each precious life we encounter. When you enter our doors, you’ll be greeted by a caring team of professionals devoted to protecting and nurturing your hopes and dreams for the future.
Highest National Cancer Care Accreditations in the Region
St. Mary’s is the only Cancer Center in the region with dual accreditations from both the Commission on Cancer (COC) and the American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). The COC accreditation from the American College of Surgeons is granted to facilities that voluntarily commit to provide the best in cancer diagnosis and treatment and that comply with all the Commission on Cancer standards. In addition, St. Mary’s Cancer Center has earned the APEx accreditation from the world’s largest radiation oncology quality and safety standards society. APEx is a rigorous multi-step evaluation also requiring structured compliance to patient-centered care through effective communications, coordinated treatment, and verification of including family and patients as partners in care. You are in the best hands possible at St. Mary’s Cancer Centers of Colorado
Our cancer team
St. Mary’s is home to a cancer care team with highly specialized expertise – including board certified physicians and nurses with national certifications in oncology. Each patient is empowered and encouraged to be an active participant and share in decision making about their care. You’ll receive individualized care from a team that feels like family.
Clinical trials
St. Mary’s teams up with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to help fund cancer clinical trials through networks of physicians and institutions specializing in a particular aspect of cancer. St. Mary’s maintains relationships with UCLA’s (University of California, Los Angeles) Translational Research in Oncology (TRIO) US Network and the University of Colorado Cancer Center, Denver, so our patients can participate in NCI-sponsored research. We monitor all cancer clinical trials being proposed and conducted and discuss possible participation with patients who qualify.
Navigating through the process
From support groups to financial assistance, our teams are readily available to help you navigate your cancer care and makes sense of what can be overwhelming and complex.
