Cancers we treat in the Brazos Valley

What is cancer?

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells anywhere in a body. These abnormal cells are termed cancer cells, malignant cells, or tumor cells. Many cancers and the abnormal cells that compose the cancer tissue are further identified by the name of the tissue that the abnormal cells originated from (for example, breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer).

What are the different types of cancer?

• Carcinoma: Cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs -- "skin, lung, colon, pancreatic, ovarian cancers," epithelial, squamous and basal cell carcinomas, melanomas, papillomas, and adenomas
• Sarcoma: Cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue -- "bone, soft tissue cancers," osteosarcoma, synovial sarcoma, liposarcoma, angiosarcoma, rhabdosarcoma, and fibrosarcoma
• Leukemia: Cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood -- "leukemia," lymphoblastic leukemias (ALL and CLL), myelogenous leukemias (AML and CML), T-cell leukemia, and hairy-cell leukemia
• Lymphoma and myeloma: Cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system -- "lymphoma," T-cell lymphomas, B-cell lymphomas, Hodgkin lymphomas, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and lymphoproliferative lymphomas
• Central nervous system cancers: Cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord -- "brain and spinal cord tumors," gliomas, meningiomas, pituitary adenomas, vestibular schwannomas, primary CNS lymphomas, and primitive neuroectodermal tumors

Not included in the above list are metastatic cancers because metastatic cancer cells usually come from a cell type in the above list. The major difference is that the metastatic cells are present in a tissue from which the cancer cells did not originally develop.

The region’s only Breast Center of Excellence

As the only nationally accredited facility in the Brazos Valley, the Breast Center at St. Joseph Health has earned this designation through our devotion to patient-centered care, including exceptional standards in our research, technology, medicines, and staff.

A program of the American College of Surgeons, the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) challenges breast cancer centers to enhance the care they provide by addressing patient-centered needs and measuring the quality of the care they deliver against national standards.

Always your best interest in mind

All cancer specialists have strengths, each having an exceptional level of expertise in treating certain types of cancer. We know our strengths, and we know when to refer. If we see that you need a cancer specialist with skills, knowledge, and expertise that we don’t possess, we will not hesitate to recommend another professional.

Our cancer specialists always keep your best interest in mind. Providing cancer treatment and saving lives is our mission. We always encourage second opinions, and we will never be offended. If we believe that you’ll benefit from another opinion or referral to another cancer doctor, we will make the appropriate recommendation without you having to ask for it.