Shannon Medical Center | Health Beat | Winter 2021

2 HEALTH BEAT Shannon Clinic welcomes these new providers AMBER BAGWELL, APRN, FNP—OB-GYN Amber received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Angelo State University, where she also received her family nurse practitioner certification. A San Angelo native, she brings more than 8 years of patient care experi- ence to the Shannon team. AMBER JOINS THE PRACTICE OF GENEVIEVE MEJIA, MD, AT SHANNON CLINIC HARRIS, 220 E. Harris. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 325-481-2354 . MARGARET NUNEZ, APRN, FNP-C—NEUROSURGERY Margaret received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from the University of Texas at Arlington. She is certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She has more than 12 years’ experience in acute patient care. MARGARET JOINS THE PRACTICE OF LUIS DUARTE, MD, AT SHANNON CLINIC MAGDALEN, 102 N. Magdalen. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 325-481-2193 . MELISSA WATSON, APRN, MSN, FNP-C— NEUROSURGERY Melissa received her bachelor’s degree from Angelo State University and her master’s degree from Hardin Simmons University in Abilene. She is certified by the American Academy of Nurse practitioners as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Melissa joins the practice of Joseph Hobbs, MD, at Shannon Clinic Magdalen, 102 N. Magdalen. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 325-481-2193 . On Jan. 1, the Regional Cancer Treatment Center became a fully integrated member of the Shannon family as part of the Shannon Oncology Center for cancer care. “We have provided radiation oncology ser- vices here in San Angelo for more than 30 years,” says James Studt, MD, Shannon Clinic radiation oncologist. “We are proud of the depth of services we have available so patients are able to remain at home with their family and receive the same quality of care. Now as part of Shannon Oncology Center, we can work even more closely with the medical oncology team to create a seamless experi- ence for cancer patients.” The Center will continue to provide a full spec- trum of radiation oncology services in its down- town location in the Shannon Clinic Magdalen building, adjacent to the Shannon Oncology Cen- ter. It’s the only center in West Texas accredited by the American College of Radiology. Radiation oncology is the treatment of can- cer with high-energy x-rays (radiation). Half of patients diagnosed with cancer receive some form of radiation therapy, which is often an alternative to surgery. Our Center offers various treatments to target specific types of cancer, including breast, lung, head and neck, gynecologic, skin, lympho- mas, prostate, colorectal, and metastatic diseases. The technology available at the Center is ad- vanced for its size.The center’s highly trained support staff, including a dosimetrist, medical physicist and radiation therapists, work together to determine the treatment plan for each patient. Patients receive physician-provided care with one- on-one consults. Each patient is followed by Dr. Studt throughout their treatment. Treatment options include: HyperArc ™ . HyperArc treatments allow the ability to deliver more compact radiation doses that closely conform to the size, shape and loca- tion of tumors while sparing more surrounding healthy tissue.These advanced treatments can be delivered in the same amount of time as other types of treatments. HyperArc is designed to make it possible to easily target and eradicate isolated brain metastases and eliminate the need for and complications with whole-brain radiation. Also, with HyperArc, multiple tumors can be irradiated at the same time without reposition- ing the patient. As a result, more metastatic brain cancer patients are now eligible for treatment than before. Frameless radiosurgery offers you a more comfortable and non-invasive alternative to other radiosurgery systems, which require immobiliza- tion with a head ring that attaches to the skull. Stereotactic radiation therapy (SRS/SRT) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Stereotactic therapy may be used to treat neurologic, liver and lung cancers and is a suc- cessful option for patients who are unable to have surgery. SRS targets tumors affecting the brain and spinal cord—the central nervous system.This treatment is applied in a single, high-dose session. SRT is delivered in up to five treatments. Both therapies deliver a high dose of radiation to the tu- mor with minimal dosage to surrounding normal tissue. SBRT is used for areas outside the central nervous system. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). These types of treatments are often used to treat prostate cancer, and most men have very few side effects from them. IGRT uses complex algorithms with an ExacTrac system to deliver radiation with sub-millimeter accuracy. 3-D treatment planning. Patients are placed in their treatment position while a treatment-plan- ning CT scan maps radiation therapy fields.This technique allows accurate treatment of cancers without damaging surrounding tissues. For more information about Shannon Radiation Oncology, please call 325- 653-2010 . New name, same exceptional services and staff Cancer care