Medical Director Ravi Shankar, M.D. of Cancer Care Centers of Brevard Encourages Baby Boomers to Remain Vigilant about Cancer Screenings

MELBOURNE, Fla. (January 7, 2013) - When it comes to beating cancer, early detection may be the single most powerful weapon we have in our arsenal. By undergoing regular screenings, a physician can more rapidly detect and treat cancer at its earliest stages and give patients the best opportunity to beat their disease. Over the past 20 years, we have made significant advancements in education and screenings for various cancers which has translated to a significant reduction in cancer deaths. So without further adieu, let’s discuss the most effective screening methods and guidelines for a few of the most common forms of cancer. (read more)

Community Invited to Attend Care Cancer Centers of Brevard and Cancer Care Centers Foundation’s Second Annual “Multicultural Health Fair,” January 26 - Event Offers Important Health Education and Free Breast and Prostate Screenings by Appointment Only and Diabetic, Eye, Osteoporosis, Peripheral Artery Disease, Blood Pressure and Skin Screenings

MELBOURNE, Fla. (January 3, 2013) – In its combined efforts to provide the community access to important health education and screenings, Cancer Care Centers of Brevard (CCCB) and Cancer Care Centers Foundation (CCCF) are hosting its second annual “Multicultural Health Fair” event on Saturday, January 26 from 8 a.m. to Noon. The free event will take place at Cancer Care Centers of Brevard located on 1430 S. Pine Street in Melbourne. (read more)


Enjoying the Sweet Sounds of Cancer Survival and Giving Thanks to Those Who Make It Possible - Community Invited to Attend Care Cancer Centers of Brevard and Cancer Care Centers Foundation’s “Garden Party with Music in the Park” Event, November 2, Music by Local Physician Bands Including Cancer Care Centers of Brevard’s Drs. Todd Panarese and Thoracic Surgeon Dr. David Sims

MELBOURNE, Fla. (October 11, 2012) – There is nothing like listening to the sweet sounds of cancer survivors, and to celebrate their courage as well as to recognize the generous contributions made by local donors, Cancer Care Centers of Brevard (CCCB) and Cancer Care Centers Foundation (CCCF) will host its “Garden Party with Music in the Park” event on Friday, November 2 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The free event will take place at the Riverfront Park in Cocoa Village located on 401 Riveredge Blvd. in Cocoa.
(read more)

Dispelling Five Myths About Prostate Cancer - Dr. Rahul R. Chopra of Cancer Care Centers of Brevard Offers Insight and Understanding into Mens' Health

September 19, 2012 - 1) The PSA screening is risky and causes more harm than good. Of all the myths about prostate cancer, this one remains the most controversial because, in part, to recent studies being widely reported by the media. Despite this controversy, the PSA blood test remains one of the only viable mainstream screening tests, along with a digital rectal exam, for detecting prostate cancer. (read more)

Cancer Care Centers of Brevard welcomes Dr. Kancharla to its new facility in Palm Bay - by Ken Datzman

September 10, 2012 - In its continued efforts to provide Brevard County residents access to highly trained cancer specialists, Cancer Care Centers of Brevard recently announced that Dr. Venkat Pavan Kancharla has joined its team of medical oncology experts at its new state–of–the–art Palm Bay Cancer Care Center. As a hematologist and oncologist, Dr. Kancharla specializes in the treatment of all forms of cancer. He is also board certified in internal medicine. (read more)

Physician Spotlight - BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, Florida – In its continued efforts to provide Brevard County residents access to highly trained cancer specialists, Cancer Care Centers of Brevard (CCCB) announced that Venkat Pavan Kancharla, MD, has joined its team of medical oncology experts at its new state-of-the-art Palm Bay Cancer Care Center.

August 23, 2012 - As a hematologist and oncologist, Dr. Kancharla specializes in the treatment of all forms of cancer. He is also board certified in Internal Medicine. “I am very excited to join Cancer Care Centers of Brevard because of its unwavering commitment to delivering outstanding cancer care to its community,” said Dr. Kancharla. (read more)

Cancer Care Centers of Brevard Physicist Prabhu Makes Presentation at the Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Meeting on July 29 at the Charlotte Convention Center in North Carolina - by Ken Datzman

August 6, 2012 - Cancer Care Centers of Brevard’s physicist Anand Prabhu made a poster presentation at the 54th annual American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Meeting on July 29 at the Charlotte Convention Center in North Carolina.

The presentation, “Use of BrainLab — ExacTrac IGRT with Dot Decimal electron compensator (BolusECT) for Accurate Patient Positioning,” is the result of a study conducted by Prabhu and his CCCB colleagues including chief medical physicist Daljit Saini, physicist Bhavin Patadiva, dosimetrist Tod Garthwaite and medical director and radiation oncologist Dr. Ravi Shankar. (read more)

Cancer Care Centers of Brevard Physicist Anand Prabhu to Present Poster Presentation at 54th Annual American Association of Physicists in Medicine Meeting, July 29, Presentation Demonstrates Overall Effectiveness of the ExacTrac IGRT System and Bolus ECT for Accurate Positioning and Treatment Planning for Cancer Patients

MELBOURNE, Fla. (July 23, 2012) – Cancer Care Centers of Brevard (CCCB) announced today that physicist Anand Prabhu will present a poster presentation at the 54th Annual American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Meeting on Sunday, July 29 from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. in Exhibit Hall A of the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, NC. The poster presentation, “Use of BrainLab – ExacTrac IGRT with Dot Decimal electron compensator (BolusECT) for accurate patient positioning,” is the result of a study conducted by Prabhu and his CCCB colleagues Chief Medical Physicist Daljit Saini, Physicist Bhavin Patadiva, Dosimetrist Tod Garthwaite and Medical Director and Radiation Oncologist Dr. Ravi Shankar. (read more)

Upstart Shower Shirt Co. partners with the Cancer Care Centers of Brevard Foundation - by Ken Datzman

May 7, 2012 - The Shower Shirt Co. recently joined the Cancer Care Centers of Brevard Foundation as a corporate sponsor, to support the foundation in improving the lives of Brevard County individuals and families who have been affected by cancer. CCCF, founded in 1993 by Dr. Silas Charles, was established to assist individuals within the Brevard and Indian River communities who have been touched by cancer. As a nonprofit organization striving to provide comprehensive patient and family support services, community outreach and education, CCCF was recognized as the “Organization of the Year for 2004” by “Florida Today,” for efforts in assisting cancer patients and the local community in coping with cancer.

“Our hope is not only to assist the underinsured or uninsured cancer patient, alleviating them of their financial burdens in order to allow them to focus on healing, but to also provide education to empower them,” said Marta Fiol, the foundation’s secretary.

The Shower Shirt Co. created the “first and only” water–resistant garment to protect mastectomy patients post–surgery. On the market in the U.S. since spring 2011, the product is now being sold internationally in Canada, Europe and Japan. A Class 1 medical device registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the product has patent–pending status. The Shower Shirt is sold online through Walmart.com’s medical–device division, Health Products for You, Cancer Shops USA, Amazon, E–bay, and multiple mastectomy boutiques and hospital–based home medical equipment locations across the nation, including Health First Medical Equipment and Wuesthoff Home Medical, in Brevard County.

For information, go to www.theshowershirt.com, or call 784–9363. To contact the CCCF, call Fiol 426–5145 or mfiol@cancercarebrevard.com.

Cancer Care Centers Welcomes Radiation Oncologist Rahul Chopra - by Ken Datzman

April 30, 2012 - In its continued efforts to provide Brevard County residents access to highly trained cancer specialists, Cancer Care Centers of Brevard recently announced that Dr. Rahul Chopra has joined its team of radiology oncology experts at its state–of–the–art cancer centers. He is certified in radiation oncology by the American Board of Radiology and specializes in the treatment of breast, prostate, head and neck, and gynecologic cancers. Dr. Chopra is trained in using 3–D treatment planning, intensity–modulated radiation therapy, image–guided radiotherapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, stereotactic body–radiation therapy, high–dose rate and low–dose rate brachytherapy, and the CyberKnife radiosurgery system. (read more)

Doctors relax with passionate pursuits  - Gardening, traveling, handywork makes worries, tensions disappear
Dr. Ravi Shankar of Cancer Care Centers of Brevard Provides Personal Perspective

March 29, 2012 - High-stress jobs demand vigorous down time. Some area doctors have discovered great ways to wind down after grueling days at work. And some, like Melbourne dermatologist Ruben Moreno, not only brings home the bacon, but what he does in his down time brings home the lettuce and the tomatoes as well. He has become a vegetable gardener. “Some guys like to go to the golf course,” he said. “I think I get the same thing. I get to be outside with nature and the sun. A lot of it is by yourself, so you do a lot of thinking while you’re there. It gives me an outlet to relax on weekends and no one to bother me.” (read more)

New Vaccine Therapy Helps Sebastian Resident Beat Prostate Cancer - Cancer Care Centers of Brevard is one of the First in Brevard County to Offer Provenge® Treatment to Advanced Prostate Cancer Patients

MELBOURNE, Fla. – Patients with advanced prostate cancer now have access to a viable new treatment alternative to chemotherapy at Cancer Care Centers of Brevard (CCCB), which is among the first sites in Brevard County to offer the innovative immunotherapy treatment – sipuleucel-T.

In December 2011, Dr. Carl Tahn, medical oncologist at CCCB in Rockledge successfully treated one of the first patients in Brevard County with sipuleucel-T. Sold under the brand name Provenge®, sipuleucel-T is the first in a new class of treatment known as autologous cellular immunotherapies. (read more)

Cancer Care Centers of Brevard Welcomes New Radiation Oncologist Rahul Chopra, M.D.

March 1, 2012 - MELBOURNE , Fla. – In its continued efforts to provide Brevard County residents access to highly trained cancer specialists, Cancer Care Centers of Brevard (CCCB) recently announced that Rahul Chopra, M.D. has joined its team of radiology oncology experts at its state-of-the-art cancer centers. He is board certified in Radiation Oncology by the American Board of Radiology and specializes in the treatment of breast, prostate, head and neck, and gynecologic cancers.(read more)


America's 40-year fight against cancer sees progress on a number of fronts–research and education lead the way; Cancer Care Centers of Brevard expands physician team with Dr. Chopra (see PDF article)
by Ken Datzman


HEALTHCARE NEWS
HUMANITARIAN SPOTLIGHT: Marta Fiol of Cancer Care Centers of Brevard and the Cancer Care Foundation

CENTRAL FLORIDA, USA (Oct. 25, 2011) – Central Florida Medicine and Space Coast Medicine magazines have the distinct honor and pleasure of identifying and featuring the many members of our community who give back so much and are dedicated to reaching out and helping others here and throughout the world in a multitude of ways as illustrated by the feature video presentations below. (read more and see video)

HEALTHCARE NEWS

CENTRAL FLORIDA, USA (Nov 15, 2011) – Cancer Care Centers of Brevard has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in radiation oncology as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology and The American Society for Radiation Oncology.

Radiation oncology or radiation therapy is the careful use of high-energy radiation to treat cancer. A radiation oncologist may use radiation to cure cancer or to relieve a cancer patient’s pain.

The ACR-ASTRO seal of accreditation represents the highest level of quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities meeting specific practice guidelines and technical standards developed by ACR and ASTRO after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified radiation oncologists and medical physicists who are experts in the field. (read more)

Center accredited for radiation oncology

November 9, 2011 - Cancer Care Centers of Brevard in Melbourne recently was awarded a three-year term of accreditation in radiation oncology by the American College of Radiology and The American Society for Radiation Oncology. Radiation oncology is the use of high-energy radiation to treat cancer or to relieve a cancer patient’s pain. The ACR-ASTRO seal of accreditation represents the highest level of quality and patient safety. For information about Cancer Care Centers of Brevard, call 321-952-0898 or visit cancercarebrevard.com.

Cancer Care Centers of Brevard Earns ACR Accreditation in Radiation Oncology

November 7, 2011 - MELBOURNE, Fla. — Cancer Care Centers of Brevard (CCCB) was recently awarded a three-year term of accreditation in radiation oncology as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR) and The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). Radiation oncology (radiation therapy) is the careful use of high-energy radiation to treat cancer. A radiation oncologist may use radiation to cure cancer or to relieve a cancer patient’s pain. (read more)

Health Newsmakers - Doctor Germain Blaine of Cancer Care Centers of Brevard receives three-year appointment as Cancer Liaison Physician at Parrish Medical Center in Titusville.  Cancer Center gets 3-year accreditation.

Germaine Blaine, a board certified medical oncologist and hematologist with Cancer Care Centers of Brevard, recently received a three-year appointment as Cancer Liaison Physician for the cancer program at Parrish Medical Center in Titusville. As a cancer liaison physician, Blaine is among a national network of more than 1,600 volunteer physicians responsible for providing leadership and direction to establish, maintain and support their facilities' cancer program. Blaine, who specializes in malignant diseases, is a member of the multidisciplinary cancer committee at Parrish.

Cancer Care Centers of Brevard was recently awarded a three-year accreditation in Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography by the American College of Radiology. The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. It is awarded to facilities meeting a peer-review evaluation by board-certified physicians and medical physicists.

For information about Cancer Care Centers of Brevard, call 321-636-2111 or visit cancercarebrevard.com. For information on the Cancer Liaison Program and the Commission on Cancer, call 312-202-5085 or visit www.facs.org/cancer. By Kristen Alligood

5 Do's & don'ts of cancer prevention - by Chuck McClung, Florida Today (Oct. 19, 2011)

Yes, we all know stopping smoking and not drinking alcohol in excess can reduce our risks of developing cancer, but what about cutting calories or flossing your teeth? We asked doctors for their advice on what — and what not — to do to minimize cancer risks.

Reduce body fat

“Cutting body fat certainly seems to be a way to reduce your risk,” said Dr. Craig Badolato, medical oncologist at Cancer Care Centers of Brevard in Melbourne. His assertion is backed by a 2007 study by the World Cancer Research Fund, which recommended keeping your weight on the lower end of the Body Mass Index, a formula used to calculate body fat based on height and weight. Badolato said he is a firm believer in the BMI. (read more)

CANCER CARE CENTERS OF BREVARD EARNS ACR ACCREDITATION IN PET IMAGING

September 28, 2011 - MELBOURNE, Fla. — Cancer Care Centers of Brevard (CCCB) was recently awarded a three-year term of accreditation in positron emission tomography (PET) as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR). The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities meeting ACR Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field.(read more)

Community Invited to Attend Care Cancer Centers of Brevard and Cancer Care Centers Foundation’s First “Multicultural Health Fair,” October 29. Event Offers Important Health Education and Free Breast and Prostate Screenings by Appointment Only and Diabetic, Eye, Osteoporosis, Peripheral Artery Disease, and Blood Pressure Screenings

MELBOURNE, Fla. – In its combined efforts to provide the community access to important health education and screenings, Cancer Care Centers of Brevard (CCCB) and Cancer Care Centers Foundation (CCCF) are hosting its first “Multicultural Health Fair” event on Saturday, October 29 from 8 a.m. to Noon. The free event will take place at Cancer Care Centers of Brevard located on 1430 S. Pine Street in Melbourne. (read more)